26 B. C. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



larvae to eat. so that the latter cannot consume enough to keep pace 

 with their rate of development ; and what they do consume has very 

 little moisture in it — a commodity most essential to a larva's well-being-. 



"The successful hibernation of larvae is, in my opinion, the most 

 difficult part of larvae rearing'. 



"The majority of hibernating larvae require to be on or near their 

 food plant to live through the winter, and there is little doubt that 

 many larvae feed far more during hibernation than many persons sup- 

 pose. Low-feeding larvae may be successfully treated in a cage in which 

 is placed a flower pot planted with what they feed on. I would, how- 

 ever, suggest that whatever the plants may be that the larvae fancy, a 

 little grass should also be put in the pot, for I have found that quite a 

 number of species which never touch grass at other times will frequently 

 nibble it during the winter months. 



"Quite a number of species which hibernate as larvae in nature can 

 be made in confinement to feed straight up, pupate and emerge about 

 Christmas or early in the ncAv year. The two necessary factors are 



warmth and suitable food A suitable temperature is, of course, 



all-important, and it should on no account be allowed to drop very low 

 even for a short period. One really cold night will start some larvae 

 hibernating, and nothing will then induce them to resume feeding. This 

 forcing through of hibernating larvae is only possible with certain 

 species; others, whether kept warm or not, utterly refuse to go on 

 feeding after a certain period in the autumn. With many hibernating 

 larvae it is not particularly difficult to bring them through the winter ; 

 but the problem is how to prevent them dying off when hibernation is 

 over, which they often persist in doing, despite being supplied with the 

 most tempting portions of their food plant. When the latter is available 

 sufficiently early, I have found that the best plan is to bring the larvae 

 into a warm, steady temperature about a month or more before the}' 

 thoroughly wake up under natural conditions. I often begin to bring- 

 in hibernating larvae in February, with most excellent results." 



"I have seen it stated in quite a number of works on the British 

 Lepidoptera that the pupae of burying larvae should not be dug up, 

 and that cocoons should not be interfered with. In the great majority 

 of cases I would unhesitatingly advise the very opposite. 



"In confinement many of the spinning larvae will make their cocoons 

 one on top of the other in such a way that if left in position the imagines 

 could never get out of those at the bottom, while with those that bury 

 I have already pointed out how one end or corner of the pupating box 

 will be patronized by the majority of the larvae. Then, again, despite 

 the greatest care, insect pests may get established in the pupating 

 material ; and if the pupae are left in it for months they may all be 

 destroyed long before the perfect insects are ready to emerge. ^Xnother 



