172 Education through Nature 



After a time the larva begins to spin itself into a cocoon, 

 fastening it upon the under surface of the leaf. I placed 

 several of the larvae in a covered glass dish and watched 

 one of them start its cocoon on one side of the dish. It 



FIG. 7. Weaving Larva. 



worked from side to side, weaving the net-work in front 

 of it as shown in Fig. 7. 



Upon finishing about half of the cocoon it broke the 

 thread, and turning about, backed under the partially 

 completed mesh-work; then, drawing its head up and 

 backwards, resumed its spinning. 



Just at this point I was unfortunate enough to knock 

 the dish over and drop the larva out. Though I placed 

 it back against its work and tried coaxing and leaving it 



FlG. 8. The Completed Cocoon. 



. ^ 



alone by turns it would not resume its spinning. But 

 on the next day I found the same larva in a new cocoon. 

 On the contrary, when I purposely punctured the cocoon 



