THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XLVL] SEPTEMBER, 1913. [No. G04 



LIFE-HISTORY OF ARGYNNIS HECATE. 

 By F. W. Frohawk, M.B.O.U., F.E.S. 



Mr. K. Predota, * Verhandlungen und Mitteilungen des 

 Siebenbiirg. Vereins fiir Naturwissenschaften,' vol. Ixii. p. 4, 

 1912, states that he observed females of this butterfly selecting 

 plants of the Dropwort {Spiraa filipendula) , and then depositing 

 their eggs in the ground round their roots, but he failed to find 

 the eggs. 



The Hon. N. Charles Rothschild and Miss Charlott^e de 

 Wertheimstein, who observed the butterfly both at Peszer and 

 at Csehtelek, in Hungary, tell me that it only occurs where the 

 Spiraa fiUjyendida grows, and in those spots in the Peszer Wood 

 where the plant is absent Argynnis hecate is not to be found. 



As this insect probably deposits only one or two eggs on a 

 plant in a state of nature, it is not surprising that the above- 

 mentioned observers failed to find the egg. It may further be 

 remarked that, as this species hibernates in the egg-stage, this 

 position is remarkably secure, as neither mowing the meadows 

 nor grazing them with cattle can injure the egg of this butterfly 

 either during the summer or the autumn. 



On June 10th, 1912, I had the pleasure of receiving from the 

 Hon. N. Charles Rothschild four living females of Argynnis 

 hecate; these I immediately fed with sugar and water, and placed 

 them on plants of Spiraa Jilipendula, covered 'with gauze netting. 

 During the remaining three weeks a large number of eggs were 

 deposited ; nearly all were laid on the base of the stems of the 

 plants, in many cases as low down as the butterfly could possibly 

 reach with the ovipositor, viz., below the surface where the soil 

 separated from the stems, forming a small narrow fissure, while 

 some were laid in and upon the soil itself close to the stems. 

 Several of the eggs were kept on the plants as laid out of doors 

 throughout the whole period of the egg-state, from June, 1912, 

 to March 7th, 1913; others were removed in February from 

 the plants (the stems cut up with eggs attached) and brought 

 indoors ; and some were kept indoors throughout the winter 

 near a window facing north-west. All three lots started hatching 

 on March 7th, 1913. 



ENTOM. — SEPTEMBER, 1913. U 



