402 



SOME MilTIl INDIAN INSECTS. ETC. 



Fig. 338. Atteva fabriciclla. 1 . Leaf oi A ilanthus excelsa webbed and eaten 

 by larvae (the mine of a sfnall leaf -miner is al o hown !,Yi an I arva ; 3, 

 Full-grown Larva ; 4, Pupa enclosed in cocoon; 5, 6, Moth, enlarged and 

 natural size. (( )riginah) 



Lifehistory. The eggs are creamy-white, rounded, Battened, and 

 beautifully sculptured; they are laid, usually on tine lower surface 



of leaves, either singly or in small groups. The caterpillars live 

 gregariously in a common web of fine silk spun over the leaves and 

 shoots of the foodplant, which, in conjunction with larvae of Eligma 

 narcissus, they may sometimes completely defoliate. The full- 

 grown caterpillar is about 20 mm. long, moderately stout, smooth, 

 with scattered short hairs arising from small whitish warts, head 

 bla< kish, body greenish-grey with paler longitudinal stripes, one 

 faint one down the back edged on either side by a more distinct 

 stripe-, and a well-defined stripe along each side. Pupa orange- 

 brown, in a transparent boat-shaped cocoon spun in the common 

 web; pupal period about ten days. 



Foodplants. Ailanthus excelsa. 



Status. An occasional serious pesl of Ailanthus. 



