250 COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



The pupae are brown, smooth, and shining, and are usually 

 inclosed in earthen cocoons. 



We shall briefly notice a few members of each of the three 

 genera. 



The Turnip Moth (Agrotis Segetum) 



This is another of those destructive insects that attack vegetable 

 and flower gardens, often doing so much damage to our crops as to 

 become quite a nuisance to cultivators. 



The moth is decidedly dingy. Its fore wings are brown, clouded 

 with a darker tint. The hind wings are almost white, sometimes 

 with a brown hind margin. 



In June it lays its eggs on the stems of young plants, generally 

 very close to the ground. As soon as the young caterpillars emerge 



they commence feeding on the 

 lower parts of the stems, or burrow- 

 ing deeply into the larger succulent 

 roots. When the larvae have com- 

 pleted their work of destruction in 

 this way, they change to brown 

 chrysalides in the ground. Some 

 FIG. 155. THE TTJBNIP MOTH, undergo this change in October, and 



shortly after give rise to a second 



brood of moths ; but most of them remain in the caterpillar state 

 throughout the winter, and, contrary to the general rule with 

 hybernating larvae, continue to feed almost throughout the winter 

 months, and change to the chrysalis in the following May. 



The caterpillar grows to a large size. It is of a greyish or 

 greenish colour, with a paler line on the back, a light brown line 

 on each side of this, black spots between these lines, and black 

 spiracles. 



The Heart and Dart (Agrotis Exclamationis) 



The destructive work of Segetum is assisted by similar opera- 

 tions of the Heart and Dart, the larva of which feeds voraciously 

 on the roots of several of our cultivated vegetables, though 

 the present species does not entirely confine its ravages to the 

 farmer's crops, but attacks the roots of many low-growing herbs. 



The fore wings of the moth are light brown, generally with 

 a reddish tinge. The darker markings include a large and very 



