84 BRITISH INSECTS 



Members of this family get their popular name from 

 the fact that the wings are in great measure free from 

 scales, and hence transparent. Owing to this peculi- 

 arity, and to their coloration, several of the species 

 resemble stinging insects of the order Hymenoptera. 

 For example, Trochilium apiforme, whose larvae feed in 

 the trunk and roots of the poplar, might pardonably be 

 mistaken at first sight for a large wasp, or a hornet ; 

 and this " mimetic " likeness probably stands the 

 moth in good stead by warding off the attacks of birds 

 and other insectivorous creatures. 



The family Cossida is represented by the big goat- 

 moth. 1 Its red-brown larvae feed in the solid wood of 

 living trees, and take several years to reach maturity. 

 The full-grown caterpillar, which may be three inches 

 or more in length, pupates just inside the entrance to its 

 burrow, first forming a cocoon of chips. The pupa 

 works its way out of the cocoon, and partly out of the 

 tree, prior to the emergence of the moth. Some 

 authorities regard the wood-leopard-moth 2 and the 

 reed-moth 3 as Cossida, but others prefer to treat them 

 as a distinct, but closely-allied, family viz., Zeuzeridce. 



The family Tovtricidce comprises considerably more 

 than 300 British members. Although they are all 

 small moths, their structure indicates affinity with 

 the goat-moth and clearwings. Most of the species 

 may be recognized by the " squared " outline of 

 the fore-wing at the tip. The caterpillars of many 

 species e.g., the beautiful green oak-moth 4 feed in 

 rolled-up leaves, while others bore into the tissues of 

 plants. Those of the notorious codlin-moth 5 burrow 

 in apples, where they feed chiefly on the core and pips. 



1 Cossus ligniperda. 2 Zeuzera cssculi. 3 Phragmatcecia castanece. 

 4 Tortrix viridana. 5 Carpocapsa pomonella. 



