2=^0 



Marvels of Insect Life. 



from the chrysalis until very late in the year — sometimes as early as October, but 

 usually in November or December. This moth is often a puzzle to the numerous 

 people who imagine that outdoor Insect life is suspended during the winter. On 

 coming late at night through lighted roads on the outskirts of towns, they are 

 surprised to see tolerablv large moths fluttering around the electric lamps. At that 

 late period of the vear there are several unrelated species engaged in this unremunera- 

 tive pastime, but among them will almost certainly be the males of the December- 

 moth. They are blackish-brown in colour, looking rather worn owing to the thin 

 coating of scales on the wings, which are crossed by pale lines. The female is a 

 somewhat larger Insect than her mate, and heavy bodied, so that she is more likely 

 to be quietly resting or laying her mottled eggs upon the neighbouring trees than 

 in gadding around lamps. The caterpillar — hairy like its relatives — may be 



found in spring feeding upon the leaves of various 

 trees. In June it spins a cocoon among or under 

 dead leaves, and remains in it as a chrysalis for four 

 or five months. 



Tiger-Beetles. 



About May or June on a sandy heath one's 

 attention may be attracted by the hum and sparkle 

 of a very active flying Insect that may easily be 

 taken for a brilliant fly. If an example or two be 

 captured and examined it will be found to be 

 a green beetle about three-quarters of an inch long. 

 Its blue-green wing-covers are relieved by a few 

 irregular spots of dull yellow, and its lower surface 

 is shining blue. It is this under side, reflecting the 

 sunshine, that gives the beetle its brilliant appear- 

 ance when on the wing, and has got for it the name 

 of sparkler in some districts. The fore-body and 

 head are coloured to match the wing-covers, touched 

 here and there with reddish metallic gloss. 

 Examined with a lens, it will be seen that the 

 blue-green mixture, of the wing-covers especially, 

 is due to the fact that the ground colour is largely dull blue, from which stand up 

 minute points of polished green. The long antennae and the slender legs look as 

 though they had been fashioned out of reddish wire and polished. The pair of 

 feelers attached to the mouth are of the same metallic character ; and the mouth is 

 armed with a pair of terrible sickle-like jaws. Each sickle has about the middle of 

 its inner edge a long, sharp-pointed tooth, and seeing these jaws crossed in repose 

 one can understand the deadly work of which they are capable. As these jaws 

 and his name indicate, the tiger-beetle ^ gets his living by the pursuit and destruction 

 of other Insects. 



This Insect tiger does not wait imtil it has attained the winged state to develop 

 its predatory character. In the grub stage it is equallv voracious, and subsists 



1 Cicindela campestri.s. 



://. Bastin. 



Her Eggs. 



Photo 6i] 



The Lackey Laying 



The female lackey-moth lays eggs to a great 

 number in close bands around the twigs of the 

 food-plants, where they remain through the 

 winter and hatch in spring. Several of these 

 bracelet-like bands mav be found at intervals 

 on the same twig. 



