CHAPTER XII. 



SOME SUGGESTIONS FOE THE STUDY OF 

 INSECTS. 



CATERPILLARS. 



THE rearing of caterpillars in school forms a profitable 

 part of Nature Study work. Their feeding and other 

 habits will become familiar to the pupils by direct obser- 

 vation, and with the senior pupils simple experiments may 

 be devised to show the effect of differences in diet and 

 surroundings. Drawings should be made freely, and the 

 opportunity should be taken of making clear to the pupils 

 all important noticeable features in the caterpillars them- 

 selves and in their behaviour. 



A common hardy caterpillar available in the spring and 

 summer is that of the Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossu- 

 lariata). In a fruit garden harbouring these insects they 

 will be found as soon as the foliage of the gooseberries or 

 currants is unfolded. This caterpillar is hatched in the 

 autumn and feeds on the gooseberry or currant leaves for 

 a short time, but it soon ceases its activities and conceals 

 itself in the soil or in crevices in the bark or cracks in 

 walls, etc., for the winter. These small^ caterpillars may 

 also be found amongst the dead leaves lying in the forks 

 of the branches. When spring arrives they come out of 

 their retirement, ascend the branches, and attack the 

 leaves. This is the time to collect them. They should be 

 placed in the insect cages and supplied with gooseberry 



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