32 



Insect Pests. 



IE. Tonge. 

 FIG. 18.— FEMALE ASD MALE LACKEY MOTHS. 



as they grow, being bluish-gr 

 segment next the head and also 

 orange - red stripes run 

 along each side, and Ite- 

 tweeu the two lowest of 

 these is a broad l)lue 

 stripe with little black 

 specks, these brilliant 

 lines being separated l)y 

 black and black spotted 

 with blue ; a pure white 

 line runs down the back, 

 with a narrow dark line 

 on each side. The whole 

 larva has upon it rather 

 rusty hairs, which are 

 darker above than at the 

 sides. When full grown 

 the caterpillar reaches 

 1^ inch in length. On 

 warm days they may 

 often be ibund in batches, 

 several lying parallel to 

 one another, either on 



dark central depression, and are 

 readily seen on the shoots. About 

 the end of April they hatch out. 

 The young caterpillars are quite 

 dark at first and somewhat hairy. 

 Very soon they commence to form 

 a web of fine silk, enclosing a few 

 leaves, and beneath this they con- 

 tinue to feed for some time. As 

 they grow, the silken house is 

 enlarged until it may reach over a 

 foot in length. At first the larvre 

 seem to feed entirely under the 

 tent, but as they grow they spread 

 out over the trees and feed upon 

 the foliage, returning to their web 

 at night and in dull wet weather. 

 They become brilliant coloured 

 ey, with two black spots on the 

 two on the Iduish-grev head ; three 



[Horace Ki 

 FIG. 19.— CATERPILLAR OF LACKEY MOTH. 

 (Not quite full grown.) 



