ORCHARD PESTS 81 



Vapourer Moth. It is long and slender, measuring about 

 2 inches when full-grown. The head is blue-grey, the 

 rest of the body being gaily striped with white, black and 

 orange on top, the sides black ^\ith bright blue '' buttons," 

 the under portion blue-grey with black spots, the whole 

 covered with short yellow hairs. It is a case of the 

 glaring note in Nature's protective scheming. Most birds 

 shrink from tliis highly coloured creature, which comes 

 out of its web, boldly conspicuous, and suns itself on bright 

 days. It has an additional protection in that, when 

 touched, the hairs produce a painful irritation of the skin, 

 so that it must only be handled with gloves on. The 

 Cuckoo however, which must have a throat hke a nutmeg- 

 grater, makes Uttle ado about Lackey Moth caterpillars, 

 and devours them wholesale. Moral, shake hands with 

 yourself when you hear the cuckoo call. 



The Lackey Moth itself is a commonplace affair mea- 

 suring about 1^ inches across the wings, which are red- 

 brown or yellow with transverse paler Unes in front and 

 a concentric band behind. They vary considerably in 

 different specimens from yellow to brown. The eggs are 

 laid in the autumn in the form of a dainty little series 

 of rings around the twigs, very much Hke the " snake " 

 bangles worn by ladies. They hatch out in April, so 

 that during the winter a careful watch should be kept 

 for these " bracelets "in order that thej' may be removed. 

 As they are laid all over the tree it will be seen that dwarf 

 varieties of fruit lend themselves more readily to egg 

 search. 



When full-fed the caterpillar spins a neat, oval cocoon 

 amongst fallen leaves and in the grass. This cocoon is 

 made of material Uke manilla paper, rather dark, and is 

 manufactured by the insect from silk and a sulphur- 

 coloured powder which it secretes. These cocoons are 

 characteristic of the Eggar family, including the Emperor, 

 Kentish Glory and other fine day-flying moths, and of 

 which the Lackey is the only really injurious member. 



