34 CINNABAR MOTH. 







Our next example is the CINNABAR MOTH (Eu. 

 chelia jacobece). This very pretty insect is very 

 plentiful in some localities, and scarcely ever seen 

 in others. For example, about Oxford it is one 

 of the most familiar of Moths, flitting about the 

 fields and gardens, and its pretty caterpillar being 

 common on the ragwort. Yet in many parts of 

 Kent it is one of the scarcest of Lepidoptera, 

 although its special plant grows in profusion. 



The Cinnabar Moth is almost unique among 

 lepidopterous insects in having the upper and 

 under sides of the wings exactly alike. The ground 

 colour of the upper wings is deep black with 

 scarlet marks, and that of the under wings scarlet 

 with a black-brown band surrounding them. 



The caterpillar is bright yellow with black 

 bands extending nearly round the body, and, as it 

 is very conspicuous, it is easily seen. If alarmed, 

 it looses its hold of the leaves and falls to the 

 ground. I have captured, bred, and dissected 

 great numbers of this insect. The Eev. J. Greene, 

 in his valuable little work, " The Insect Hunter's 

 Companion," states that he never took more than 

 one specimen of this Moth in England, though he 

 captured plenty in Ireland. He also mentions 

 the curious fact that, although he found the pupaa 

 in boundless profusion on the bark of wych elm, 



