The Lobster-Moth, 



221 



The Lobster-Moth. 



The lobster-moth, as a moth, is not remarkable. It is one of the larger of 

 our thick-bodied moths, and is among the less plentiful species, and, therefore, 

 always in request by collectors. But anyone strolling through the woods who has 

 the good fortune to see it resting, as in our first photograph, on the stem of a sapling, 

 would wonder how it had obtained its name, for there is nothing suggestive of the 

 crustacean in its appearance. A rather fluffy grey-brown moth, with its upper 

 wings closed along its sides and the lower ones sticking out from under them, whilst 

 its furry fore-feet are extended in front, might be compared more fitly to a cat, but 

 for the fact that we already have a puss-moth. In truth, the name was suggested 

 by the long, sprawling legs of the caterpillar ; and it must be understood to 

 indicate the moth of the lobster-caterpillar. 



This brown caterpillar is quite the most extraordinary one produced in this 

 country. Apart from its natural surroundings it may be described as grotesque ; 

 but considered in relation to the ordinary risks of caterpillar life, its singularity 

 evokes our admiration, for with a twist or two of the body or a slight alteration 

 of position it mav appear 

 as an ant. a spider, a 

 curled leaf, or a lizard. 



The moths emerge 

 from the chrysalis stage 

 in Mav or June, and the 

 females lay their hemi- 

 spherical, cream-coloured 

 eggs on the leaves of 

 beech, oak, birch, hazel, 

 etc. They hatch in about 

 ten days, and the dark 

 brown little caterpillars, 

 with their long, slender 

 legs, present a remarkable 

 likeness to ants. We 

 ha\'e no other caterpillar 

 of moth or butterfly 

 that has such an endow- 

 ment of legs. The flcsln- 

 j)ro-legs, or temporar\ 

 l(>gs, which are not re{)re- 

 sented in adult Insects, 

 are quite normal, but the 

 six true or jx^rmanent 

 legs just behind the head 

 are unique in this species, 

 being long and thin like 



Photo by] 



Mole-Ckicket in Flight. 



[H. Bastin. 



The comparative sizes of the wings and -.ving-covers are shown clearlv in this photograph, 

 where they are expanded as for flight. U will be understood from this view how it is that 

 the front part of the wing when folded up forms a sort of tail extending beyond the bod\-. 



