CHAP. XVI 



INSECTA : LEPIDOPTERA 



227 



China, Hoang-ti, first discovered how the silk could be wound 

 off the cocoon, and further how this silk could be woven into 

 fabrics, and so she introduced into her country this industry 

 which made it rich and famous. From China the industry 

 spread gradually all over the world. There is no other insect 

 which has for so long played and still plays such an import- 

 ant part in human life, giving work to very many thousands 

 of people, and making possible the production of most delicate 

 and beautiful fabrics. 



The details of the life -history of the mulberry silkworm 

 moth are so well known, that they will not be repeated here. 

 Other members of the same family of moths feed on other 

 trees, and some of these, belonging to the genus Attacus, are 

 now also cultivated for their silk. 



The Buff Tip A god typical British moth to study is the 

 Moth (Noto- Buff Tip Moth (Phalera bucephala), which is very 

 dontidae). common j n London and in the south of England 

 generally indeed it 

 occurs throughout 

 Britain. The whitish 

 eggs of the moth are 

 laid, usually in July, 

 in clusters on the 

 under side of the 

 leaves of many differ- 

 ent trees. Round 

 London, lime, elm, 

 and hazel are perhaps 

 those most frequently 

 chosen. Early in 

 August, the groups of tiny yellow and black caterpillars may 

 be found, all still on the same leaf where they began life, 

 feeding voraciously side by side (Fig. 156, A). After a time 

 they cease feeding and rest for three days, then they shed 

 their skins and begin once more to feed. 



Before the moult, the head is black and relatively small, 

 but afterwards it is disproportionately larger and at first 

 yellow, though it gradually darkens. The body also is more 

 hairy after the moult than before it. 



In four or five weeks, during which time several moults 

 will have occurred, the larvae will be full grown, and will 



FIG. 155. Imago of the Buff Tip Moth. 



