32 AB1A SERICEA. 



coloured, and the eyes are more widely separated, and 

 with a depression between ; the puncturing is not so 

 close, and the abdomen wants the sericeous pubescence. 

 It is found in Central Europe. 



Abia fulgens, Andre (Awrulenta, Zad., non Sichel), 

 from Switzerland and North Italy, differs from sericea 

 in having the abdominal segments only on the hinder 

 border somewhat arched, regularly punctured through- 

 out, and covered with reddish-grey hairs. Thelabium 

 is black, and the stigma is black at the base, while the 

 antenna are black at base and apex. 



The larva feeds from July to October on Scabiosa 

 succisa. When full-fed the head is rather small. 

 Compared to the second segment, the colour of it is 

 black, the mouth parts paler, and it is covered with 

 short whitish hairs. The upper part of the body is 

 dark greyish slate, and marked as follows : In the 

 centre of the back is a row of twelve black marks ; 

 joined to these outwardly is a row of twelve orange 

 marks, and touching these again, but placed more 

 towards the end of the body, is a row of larger black 

 marks, while between each pair of the last-mentioned 

 black marks is a small black dot. The lower half of 

 the sides is white, as are also the legs and claspers. 

 Over each of these are two black marks, one over the 

 other. The skin is rather downy and in furrows, and 

 on each segment are two rows of white tubercles. The 

 spiracles are brownish. The last segment is paler than 

 the rest of the body. 



When young the markings are scarcely, if at all, 

 visible. The leaves are eaten at the edges, and when 

 feeding the larva presses the head close to the feet, 

 and the abdomen is kept curled round. When alarmed 

 they drop to the ground, ejecting as they do so an acid 

 liquid from the lateral pores, and when they touch the 

 ground roll themselves up into a ball and remain 

 motionless. The double cocoon is spun in the earth. 



The species is parthenogenetic, the unfertilised eggs 

 producing males. 



