236 COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



twelfth segment. It feeds during August, September, and October, 

 on various trees, including the oak, birch, poplar, hazel, and 

 alder. 



The moth flies from June to August, and is moderately common 

 and widely distributed. 



Family PYG.EEIDJE 

 The Buff Tip (Phalera bucephala) 



The first of our two examples of this small family is the common 

 and destructive Buff Tip. The perfect insect is represented on 

 Plate X, fig. 9, and is too well known to require a lengthy description. 

 During June and July it may be seen resting on the bark of trees 

 almost everywhere, with its wings folded closely round its body, 

 and its antennae tucked under the wings, looking just like a piece of 

 stick, or a projection of the bark on which it sits. 



The caterpillars appear towards the end of June, and may be 

 seen in dense clusters on lime and other trees, sometimes twenty 



FIG. 134. THE LARVA OF BUCEPHALA. 



or thirty huddled together on a single leaf. As they grow larger 

 they retain their gregarious tendencies, and often completely strip 

 the leaves from large branches. They are of a dull yellow colour, 

 hairy, and have seven broken black lines, one along the middle of 

 the back, and three on each side. The head and legs are black. 



When full grown, they descend to the root of the tree, burrow 

 into the soil, and there remain in the chrysalis state till the follow- 

 ing June. The chief food plants of this species are the lime (Tiliq, 

 vulgaris), elm (Ulmus campestris), and hazel (Corylus Avellana). 



