THE GAfcDEN WHITE BUTTERFLY. SOI 



Destructive to vegetables. 



being repeated seven or eight times., the butterfly 

 passes on to another. The trunk itself consists 

 of two equal hollow tubes, nicely jointed to each 

 other. These are diurnal animals. 



The large garden white butterfly is a common 

 species, and often, in its caterpillar state, very de- 

 structive to cabbage and cauliflower plants. The 

 caterpillars seem almost oonfined to these vege- 

 tables, on which they are generally to be found 

 in great numbers from June to October. The 

 general colour of these butterflies is white, but 

 the male differs from the female in having a few 

 dark spots on its wings. They first appear on 

 wing in the middle of May, and, about the end 

 of the same month, lay their eggs in clusters on 

 the under sides of cabbage leaves. In a few days 

 after the caterpillars come forth, and continue to 



feed together till the end of June, when they are 



j 



at their full growth. They then traverse about 

 in search of convenient places to fix themselves, 

 where, after their change, the chrysalis may be 

 sheltered. When such are found, they each fas- 

 ten their tail by a web, and carry a strong thread 

 of the same round their body, near the head ; 

 and, thus firmly secured, hang a few hours, when 

 the chrysalis becomes perfectly formed, and di- 

 vested of the caterpillar's skin. In fourteen days 

 after this the fly is on the wing. The caterpillars 

 of this latter brood arrive at full growth, and 

 change to chrysalids in September, in which 

 state they remain through the winter till the be- 



