226 



COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



the antennae of the male are doubly fringed for about half their 

 length from the base. 



FIG. 120. THE LEOPARD MOTH. 



The caterpillar feeds on the wood of various trees elm, apple, 

 pear, ash, alder, poplar, horse chestnut, birch, lilac, and several 



others. It is yellowish, with 

 black shiny spots, and a black 

 plate on the second segment. 



The moth appears in July, 

 FIG. 121. THE LARVA OF PYRINA and is widely distributed. It 

 (ONLY PARTLY GROWN). is attracted by bright lights, 



but the best w r ay to obtain it is 



to search the trunks and branches of trees that are known to 

 harbour the larvae early in the morning, and so obtain newly 

 emerged specimens. 



Family LIPARID^E 



Passing over the two small species which are the only British 

 representatives of the family Cochliopodidce, we come to the 

 interesting Liparidce, the remarkable feature of which is that most 

 of the caterpillars are adorned with brush-like tufts of hair, and 

 even the chrysalides are hairy. 



The perfect insects are not brilliantly coloured, but generally 

 display very pale tints ; and the antennae of the males are 

 pectinated or feathered. 



The Brown Tail (Porthesia cJirysorrhosa) 



The family contains two moths the Brown Tail and the Yellow 

 Tail that are very similar in appearance and habits. Both have 



