632 



THE NATURE BOOK 



about eaii\' ^lay, when it emerges from 

 its chrysalis and cocoon to develop its 

 wings as previously explained. 



Another pretty moth with similar habits, 

 and one which readers of The Nature 

 Book may have frequently seen during 

 the summer months, is that illustrated on 

 page 631. the Buff Ermine ^loth (Spilo- 

 soma liibricipeda) ; an insect with creamy 

 yellow wings spotted with black. As 



this country the insect is generally scarce, 

 but occasionally, for some peculiar reason, 

 it occurs in comparative plenty in various 

 districts, and perhaps it is more common 

 now than formerly. It derives its popular 

 name from the curious skull-like marking 

 on the back of the thorax, which shows 

 well in the illustration. Another remark- 

 able feature of the moth is that, when cap- 

 tured, it will often make a peculiar squeak- 



DEATH'S-HEAD HAWK-MOTH. 

 The largest British moth. 



autumn advances the caterpillar of this 

 moth becomes full-fed, and with the hairs 

 from its body forms a cloth -like covering 

 that envelops its chrysalis. Some of the 

 chrysalides are shown in the upper part 

 of the illustration ; they are usually found 

 near the surface of the ground. 



I have previously described how the 

 Lime Hawk -Moth passes the winter 

 period beneath the ground (p. 74), and 

 likewise the Poplar Hawk (p. 492). The 

 Privet Havv'k (p. 213) behaves in an almost 

 identical manner, and to these we may now 

 add the Death's-head Hawk-:\roth {Ache- 

 rontia airopos). This is the largest British 

 moth ; indeed it is the largest lepidop- 

 terous insect found in Europe with one 

 exception — the Great Peacock Moth 

 (Saiurnia pavonia -major). The Death's- 

 head will sometimes measure a little more 

 than five inches in expanse of wings. In 



ing noise ; this peculiarity, together with 

 the strange marking on the thorax, has 

 given rise to much superstition in the 

 rustic mind with regard to this insect. I 

 need scarcely add, however, that it is 

 quite harmless. 



On page 633 the same insect is shown in 

 its winter aspect some three or four inches 

 below the surface of the earth. These 

 large chrysalides are often turned up in 

 potato fields, as the caterpillar generally 

 feeds on that plant. 



Regarding the aquatic insects I have 

 illustrated in this work, the Pond-Skater's 

 \\'inter devices I have already referred to 

 (p. 50). The Diving Beetles, illustrated on 

 page 261, may spend the winter, as the 

 summer, in the pond, although they are 

 less active, and do not use their wings 

 during cold weather, preferring the muddy 

 bottom of the pond, where it is warmer 



