Egger-Moths. 



245 



Photo hy] II. lla.stin. 



The Lackey-.Moth. 



The smaller example is a male, the larger a female. 

 The colour x'aries from \'ellowish-bro\vn to reddish- 

 brown, with a band of darker tint across the fore- 

 wings. .Although feeding on a variety of wild 

 trees the caterpillar often causes havoc in orchards 

 by attacking the fruit trees and rendering them 

 leafless. 



colour ol the trm;ilc\ wings and body, is tawny, 

 ])akr towards the margins, and with a hght 

 spot in the centre of the fore-wings. The 

 male is much darker, with the exception of 

 a pale band, which erosses all the wings ; but 

 the much more slender body and the breadth 

 of the fringed antemue are suflicient, apart from 

 colour, to distinguish him from his mate. There 

 is considerable variation in the matter of colour 

 in l)oth se.xes, and this is especially evident in 

 a \ariet\- that has been named the northern 

 egger,' from its appearance chiefly in the northern 

 parts of these islands, in which the coloration 

 is deeper and brighter. 



The female deposits her dry, brown- 

 mottled eggs whilst she is on the wing, 

 much after the manner of the ghost-moth. 

 This happens in August, and in the same 

 month th • young caterpillars may be found upon heather, bramble, dogwood, 

 hawthorn, bilb(>rr\-, and other shrubs. But they do not feed for long at this 

 period ; whilst still quite small they seek safe quarter- in which to pass the winter 

 quieth-. In spring thev wake up and begin to feed again, and by June or July 

 are full-fed. They are now about two and a half inches long, the rings of the body 

 coloured dark brown, which has a violet tinge along the sides, and between the 

 rings the skin is black. Along each side runs a white liin', and below this some 

 reddish spots. But this coloration is somewhat hidden by long, brown hairs, which 

 spring from the body in tufts. If touched or otherwise alarmed, the caterpillar 

 drops from its food-plant to the ground, rolling itself into a ring on the way. The 

 long hairs then stand out in 

 tufts all around it, and bctwei'n 

 the tufts the black skin shows 

 strongly in contrast with the 

 red and white markings on 

 the sides — a warning to all 

 and sundr\- that it is unwhole- 

 some food. 



Its feeding concluded, the 

 caterpillar crawls down to the 

 ground, and tlurc among the 

 dead leaves and fallen twigs 

 it spins a firm, closel\'-com- 

 pacted, oval cocoon, and The 0.\k-Egger .Moth. 



changes to a piirplish-hrown This fine moth is tawny-coloured in the female, much darker in the smaller male, 



. . , . . which also has a finer fringe to the antennae. The name is a misnomer, for the 



chrysalis. 1 his, hoWeX'cr, is insect has no connection with the oaU, the caterpillar feeding on heather, bramble, 



and other low shnibs. A freshly emerged female imprisoned in a cage, but exposed 

 a very temi)orar\' stage, tllOUgh to the air, win attract a number of males from far and near. Natural size. 



1 \'ar. calltin;i'. 



I'hoto by] 



Ji. Mum, F.E.S. 



