TIGER MOTH 159 



tiger beetles, on account of their ferocity, but 

 because of the colour and pattern of the 

 wings of one of the species the Tiger 

 Moth (Arctia caia), Plate XVII., Fig. 1. 

 This is a singularly handsome insect. The 

 colours vary much, but speaking generally, 

 the fore wings are dark brown and cream, the 

 hindwings red with blue-black spots, and the 

 abdomen red, while a scarlet collar encircles 

 the neck. So beautiful are the hues, that 

 many persons, who fancy that all butterflies 

 are brightly coloured and all moths dingy, 

 think that it is a butterfly. I have frequently 

 had a tiger moth sent to me as a rare 

 specimen. 



This is a very interesting insect to rear 

 from the larval stage. Its larva is the brown, 

 hairy caterpillar called variously 'woolly 

 bear,' * hairy worm,' or * hairy oubit ' (Plate 

 XVII., Fig. 2). In the early summer these 

 are common everywhere. A few should be 

 placed in an airy box with a supply of fresh 

 plants of the common dead nettle. If this 

 plant is not convenient, they will eat almost 

 any similar plant. I have reared them on 

 the stinging nettle. After certain days, the 



