THE LIFE STORY 
OF 
THE PRIVET HAWK-MOTH 
(Sphinx Ligustri). 
By JoHN J. WARD. 
Hlustrated with photographs by the Author. 
TFYHE embryo Privet Hawk-Moth appears first as 
a small pea-green somewhat oval-shaped egg, 
and is deposited by the female moth about June 
or July amongst the branches and leaves of the 
food-plant of the larvee, which as its name implies 
is the common privet, although sometimes the lilac 
or elder is selected. The eges are very difficult to 
find as they are usually deposited well in the hedge 
amongst the branches. On the morning of 7th July 
of this year, I captured a fine specimen of the 
female moth resting on a post; towards evening 
of the next day it began to deposit its eggs, and 
within three days it had laid 180 fertile eggs, from which number to 200 I should 
regard as being about the average number laid. The ova when examined by the 
microscope reveal considerable shell structure, showing a finely granulated and 
reticulated surface. These remain about nine or ten days before hatching, although the 
temperature may influence the time. The first larva of the brood already referred to 
emerged about mid-day, 17th July, after which they appeared rapidly. After the young 
larva leaves the egg the shell becomes white and translucent. 
On emerging the larva is of a whitish or yellowish green, but as soon as it begins 
to feed it seems to assume a deeper tone of green. For a time the young caterpillar 
1s occupied in spinning a silken thread by means of which it attaches itself to a leaf, 
this it altogether dispenses with as it gets older and its claspers become stronger. 
When firmly secured it starts to feed—the 
amount of vegetation that they consume 
is simply astonishing. The young and 
full-grown caterpillars possess many points 
of difference. The former during its first 
two moultings possesses none of the 
brilliant colours and purple stripes of the 
older caterpillar, the stripes being white 
only; also, the skin of the young larva 
bears a rough granulated surface which 
later becomes smooth and tightened and 
assumes its bright colours. The first 
appearance of an immediate moult is a 
tightened and somewhat distorted appear- 
ance of the caterpillar; the larva then 
by a muscular effort breaks the skin, which 
seems to separate naturally round the 
head, leaving the latter still covered; the 
skin is then slowly passed down the body Weveca by tnicticroeoney miacninedtauednteentgenee 
towards the tail extremity by a wavy diametres. 
141 
EGGS OF PRIVET HAWK-MOTH. 
As deposited by the insect. (Natural size ) 
EGGS OF THE PRIVET HAWK-MOTH. 
