i io OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



birds, and so are left severely alone by insect 

 feeders. 



It has been noticed that birds will not touch 

 the larva of the Magpie Moth (commonly called 

 the gooseberry caterpillar), a striking-looking 

 Caterpillar that has a creamy body marked with 

 orange-coloured stripes and black spots ; or tHe 

 larva of the, Fig. of 8 Moth, a bluish-grey Cater- 

 pillar with vivid yellow stripes and black spots. 

 Both these Caterpillars do a great deal of damage 

 to bush fruit and fruit trees, and, as the birds do 

 not check their ravages, are very troublesome 

 pests. 



Amongst the Butterflies there are several 

 families that are distinguished by warning 

 colours, the best known being the Heliconidce of 

 South America, the Danaidce of Southern Asia, 

 and the Acrceidce of Africa. All these Butterflies 

 have unpleasant juices which render them in- 

 edible, and possess the power of exhaling a 

 powerful and unpleasant odour when disturbed 

 or alarmed. They are very conspicuous insects 

 and never attempt to conceal themselves, but 

 rely on their distinctive colouring and slow 

 characteristic mode of flight to protect them 

 from attack. 



Now, a most remarkable and interesting fact 

 in connection with these insects that are pro- 

 tected by warning colours, is that many of them 

 are so closely mimicked by other insects belong- 

 ing to entirely different families or Orders, that 

 it is only an expert entomologist that is able to 

 tell them apart. In every case it has been found 

 that the mimicking insect belongs to an edible 



