LEGUMINOS^: 



59 



of butterflies, moths, and beetles actually feed on 

 the plants, but the flowers will not set their seeds 

 unless fertilised by insects ; and when Clover was 

 introduced into New Zealand, it was necessary to 

 import British humble-bees too before it could be 

 cultivated with any chance of success. Besides, 

 the sweet odour and the abundant honey in 

 the flowers attract insects from far and wide, 

 whether their larvae actually feed on the plant 

 or not. 



The caterpillars of many conspicuous butterflies 

 and moths feed on Clover and allied plants. Most 

 of these caterpillars are green or yellowish, quite 

 irrespective of the colours of the perfect insects. 

 Most notable of all is the richly coloured Clouded 

 Yellow Butterfly ( Colias edusa), 2 inches across the 

 wings, which are chrome-yellow, bordered with black 

 above, and with hindwings green beneath; it is a very 

 conspicuous butterfly, with an extremely rapid flight. 

 It is sometimes accompanied by the Pale Clouded 

 Yellow {Coitus hyale), a much paler, and in Britain 

 a much scarcer, insect. The short, thick caterpillars 

 of several species of small butterflies also feed on 



Clover; and the butterflies, which generally measure 

 an inch and a quarter, or rather more, across their 

 blue or brown wings (sometimes varied with red 

 marginal spots, and generally grey on the under 

 surface, with dark pale-centred spots), fly over the 

 flowers. Among moths, the caterpillars of several 

 species of Burnet Moths (Anthrocera) feed on 

 Clover. The caterpillars are yellow, with black 

 spots, and spin curious boat-shaped cocoons of 

 yellow silk. The moths have rather long wings, 

 expanding nearly an inch and a half, with five or 

 six crimson spots on a deep greenish blue or pur- 

 plish ground-colour, and crimson purple-bordered 

 hindwings ; more rarely the spots on the fore- 

 wings are replaced by longitudinal stripes. Other 

 butterflies and moths are also abundant as 

 casual visitors, or their caterpillars have perhaps 

 fed on grass or other plants among the Clover, 

 such as (where it occurs) the Swallow-tail ; the 

 nettle-feeding Small Tortoiseshell ; several species 

 of Fritillaries, rich tawny, with black spots on the 

 upper surface, and often spotted or streaked with 

 silver on the lower ; brown or tawny butterflies, such 



