130 BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



transparent that they much resemble Flies, Wasps, or 

 other transparent-winged insects, from which they are 

 consequently scientifically named. One of the largest 

 is the Hornet Clearwing, the caterpillars of which 

 infest the Osier. 



The caterpillars of the Clearwings are white fleshy 

 grubs, with altogether sixteen feet ; and they feed in 

 roots, wood, branches or shoots of 

 trees, and turn to chrysalids in 

 the gallery which they have eaten. 

 The Currant Clearwing sometimes 

 does much mischief. The egg is 

 laid early in the summer, in some 

 crevice such as is often to be found 



^'"''ciSrwin"""''"* °^ ^^^ °^ badly trimmed trees; 

 from this the caterpillar, as soon 

 as it hatches, eats its way into the branch, and, for 

 several inches downward, feeding on the pith as it goes, 

 and feeds or lives, in the caterpillar state, within the 

 bough till the following March. 



The chrysalis is to be found about the beginning of 

 May. Where large branches of Currant bushes wither 

 iiway, or young shoots fade without known cause, it 

 may be suspected that this caterpillar is within, and 

 splitting the shoot open will soon show whether it is 

 there. If so, all shoots that are, or are suspected of 

 being, attacked should be cut off and destroyed; but 

 the best preventive is trimming that will not leave 

 numbers of old neglected boughs in the bushes. 



Where caterpillars bore into solid f/rowing wood, 

 something in the way of prevention may be done (to 

 begin with) by noticing what part of the tree is com- 

 monly chosen by the Moth for egg-laying, and using 

 means to protect this. The habit of the Goat Moth 

 is to lay her eggs in crevices in the rough bark near 

 the lower part of the tree, which may be Oak, or 

 Elm, or Willow, Apple or Pear, or various other 

 kinds of our deciduous forest or fruit trees. The 



