294 COMMON BEITISH MOTHS 



remarkable for the fact that its four species spend their larval state 

 in the water, feeding on the under surfaces of the leaves of water 

 lilies and other aquatic plants. These curious 

 larvae live either in cases which they construct 

 for their protection, something after the fashion 

 of the larvse of caddis flies, or quite free in the 

 water, and then they are supplied with special 

 BEAUTiiuL^CmNA breathing organs that enable them to absorb the 

 MARK. oxygen held in solution in the water. 



The moth we have selected for illustration 



is a very common species, and may be seen flying in great numbers 

 in the neighbourhood of ponds during June and July. 



The Pterophori 



The members of this remarkable group are easily distinguishable 

 from all other moths by the feathery appearance of their wings, a 

 feature that has gained for them the popular name of Plume Moths. 

 Their fore wings are more or less divided or cleft, and their hind 

 wings are generally divided into three distinct feathery plumes. 



The larvae are hairy, and when full fed they suspend themselves 

 by their anal claspers, and change to the chrysalis state without 

 any kind of covering. They are generally to be found in spring 

 and early summer, but some of them feed in the autumn. 



The chrysalides are often hairy, though some of them are 

 perfectly smooth. 



Plume moths are to be met with more or less throughout the 

 year. Many of the earlier species appear on the wing in spring 

 and early summer ; but the late feeders emerge in the autumn, and 

 hybernate through the winter, often taking to the wing on the mild 

 days of our coldest months. 



The Pterophori include only about forty British species, all of 

 which, with two exceptions, belong to the family Ptcrophoridce. The 

 two exceptions represent as many families one the Chrysocorididfs, 

 and the other the Alucitidce. 



Platyptilia gonodactyla 



This is one of the commonest of the Pterophoridce, generally 

 appearing in our gardens arid in waste places towards the end of 

 May, and continuing with us for some time. It starts from its 

 retreat at or before sunset, and remains on the wing after dark. 



