102 



INSECTS. 



THE BURXETS, Family 



The burnets are for the most part small moths, with long, rather narrow fore- 

 wings, and stout bodies extending beyond the hind- wings. Their usual colour is 

 black, green, or dark blue, spotted with red, white, or yellow. The hind- wings are 

 grey, red, or similar in colour to the fore-wings, with a narrow black margin ; and 

 the antennae are somewhat abruptly narrowed towards the extremity. The burnets 

 are local, though, from their gregarious habits, abundant where they occur. The 

 larvge are rather compressed, tapering at both ends ; and the cocoon is long, spindle- 

 shaped, yellow or white, of fine shiny silk, and attached longitudinally to grass- 

 stems. Of the six-spotted burnet (Zygcena filipendulce) the caterpillar feeds late 

 in the autumn, and hibernates until the following spring. It is short, stout, 

 slightly hairy, dull yellow, with two rows of black spots along the back, and feeds 

 on grasses of various kinds. The moth flies heavily in broad daylight, and may 

 often be seen, two or three together, hanging upon flower-heads in chalk-pits and 

 on downs by the sea. Its fore- wings are black, with metallic green lustre, having 

 six bright red spots placed in three pairs ; and the hind-wings are bright crimson, 

 with a narrow black border. The species, which is abundant in certain parts of 

 England, as well as on the Continent, is shown in various stages of development in 

 the illustration on p. 111. 



THE CASE- WEAVERS, Family 



An interesting group of moths, although not noticeable either for size or 

 coloration, is that of the case-weavers. Their chief claim to notice is from the 



curious habits of the larvae, which form from vegetable 

 debris, twigs, chips, etc., a case in which they dwell, 

 protruding merely the thoracic segments, with the three 

 pairs of legs belonging to them. Some other moths, 

 as for instance the genus Coleophora, also construct a 

 tough case of a somewhat similar nature but manu- 

 factured entirely of silk. Amongst other insects the 

 same habit of the larvae is found amongst the caddis- 

 flies, which creep on river-beds protected by a case of 

 encrusted shells, pebbles, twigs, etc. In the moths of the 

 present family the males alone possess well-developed 

 wings, the females being wormlike, and often without 

 antennae, legs, or wings. The phenomenon known as 

 parthenogenesis has been observed amongst members 

 of this family. The moths are mostly dull brown 

 insects, and the various species are better distinguished 

 by a comparison of the larval-cases than of the insects 

 themselves. Of the many species embraced in this 

 family, one only can be described, and this but briefly. 

 This species (Psyche unicolor) is a dull -brown little 

 moth, common in Central and Eastern Europe, but 



PSYCHE MOTH. 



moth; e , Male, larva in case; 

 /, Male pupa. (All of nat. size,) 



