FiGURE-OF-8 :\roTii. 291 



mischief in the orchards. The gruh is very observahle from 

 its comparatively large size, being about two inches long when 

 full-grown, and is also remarkable from the head having 

 usually the bluish colour, whence it takes one of its names. 

 The caterpillar is of various tints of green or smoky-green 

 above, and yellow-green below ; one yellow stripe (interrupted 

 at distances) runs along the back, and one yellow stripe along 

 each side below the spiracles. The segment or rings of the cater- 

 pillar are spotted with black (see figure, p. 290), the one imme- 

 diately behind the head has eight small spots arranged (on the 

 upper part) in a double transverse row, and the two segments 

 immediately behind have one row of larger spots similarly 

 placed. The following segments (till near the tail) have four 

 spots above. The three pairs of claw-feet are also spotted 

 with black, and the four pairs of sucker-feet beneath the 

 body have two black spots on each. 



The caterpillars feed on various kinds of orchard trees, 

 especially Apple and Plum, and also on Whitethorn. When 

 full-fed they spin cocoons formed of bits of bark, or apparently 

 anything that may be convenient, — on twigs or stems, or even 

 on neighbouring walls, — in which the caterpillar turns to a 

 reddish brown chrysalis, out of which the moth emerges 

 about September, also is to be found later on, and in some cases 

 appears in the following spring. 



The Figure-of-8 Moth is about an inch and a quarter in the 

 spread of the wings. The fore wings brownish or grey-brown, 

 marked, as shown above, with black lines and white spots, one 

 pair of which, formed of two small white kidney-formed 

 figures in the middle of each wing, form the marking like the 

 number *' 8," which gives its name to the moth. The hinder 

 wings are brownish, with darker rays and dark patch at the 

 hinder angle, as figured (p. 290). The eggs are green, and laid 

 singly on the stems or branches of the trees. 



Prevention and Remedies. — It is stated by Dr. Taschenberg 

 that the caterpillars have such slight hold that in case of a 

 storm occurring they fall off in great numbers. This fact of 

 their loose hold may be very serviceably turned to account by 

 shaking the trees well, and also by heavy washings, and 

 collecting and destroying the caterpillars that drop to the 

 ground. 



Amongst measures of prevention, scraping and cleaning the 

 bark of the trees and branches would be serviceable here as 

 with various other insect-attacks, as thus some at least of the 

 cocoons which the Blue-headed Caterpillars form on the trees 

 would be got rid of. 



Catching the moths hy means of lamps. — The moth may be 



u 2 



