DAY-FLYING MOTHS 



garden where currants are grown. It has a particular 

 fancy for the black currant bush. 



The female moth lays a number of eggs and each 

 one is carefully deposited near a bud, so that the cater- 

 pillar when it hatches is in a position to bore into the 

 stem right away. When it has reached the centre 

 of the stem it feeds on the pith both above and below 

 the point of entry. In due time it attains full growth, 

 and it then gnaws through the woody walls of the stem, 

 but stops short at the thin outer skin, which is left 

 intact so as to protect the chamber whilst the insect 

 is in the chrysalis state. The chrysalis, about the time 

 when the moth is ready to emerge therefrom, is worked 

 towards the outlet by means of the hooks with which the 

 body is provided. Subsequently pressure is brought 

 to bear on the outer skin of the stem, this gives way 

 and the front half of the chrysalis is then protruded 

 from the opening. After a while the moth escapes from 

 the chrysalis shell, and the latter remains with the hind 

 portions still in the hole. 



The Broad and the Narrow Bee Hawk Moths are 

 true Sphinges, and although the wings are clear 

 these moths are not directly related in any way 

 to the Clearwings alluded to above. The Broad- 

 bordered is the commoner of the two, and in late 

 May and early June when the rhododendrons are in 

 full bloom it is an interesting sight, on a sunny morn- 



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