BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



FAMILY LASIOCAMPIDM, OR LACKEYS 

 AND EGGARS 



Tree Lackey. — {Malacosma ntustria.) The tents of 

 this species containing a wriggling cluster of larvae 

 will be known, at least by sight, to country dwellers. 

 It seems to occur especially upon hawthorn, and in some 

 seasons tent after tent can be seen suspended along a 

 hedgerow over an area of several hundred yards. Un- 

 fortunately, it also has a liking for taking up its position 

 on fruit trees in garden and orchard. Under such 

 conditions, the tent and its living contents should at 

 once be destroyed. The period on the wing is July and 

 August, the greyish-brown eggs being cleverly secured 

 to a twig in the form of a band. When found during 

 Winter (for the eggs thus remain until the following 

 Spring), they also should be burnt out of the way. The 

 slaty-blue larva has a bluish-white line down the back, 

 with a border stripe of black on either side, lined with 

 reddish-orange. The dark pupa is hidden in a si^ky 

 cocoon, which has an inner chamber of the same material. 

 The imago is light yellowish-red, with well-defined 

 cross lines on the forewings. This species, however, 

 is very varied in both colour and markings. 



Small Eggar. — {Eriogaster lanestris.) This species is 



much smaller than the one which follows, and belongs 



to a different genus. It is a familiar enough insect in 

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