Insects. 6995 



Observations on rearing Lepidopterous Larvae.* 



Having during the past season given a good deal of my spare time 

 to rearing larvae from the egg, I now venture to send you some notes 

 ,of my proceedings, in the hope that — though they contain nothing 

 wonderful or new — they may be of use to encourage other beginners 

 to do something in the same way. Till lately I used to throw away 

 in despair the eggs laid by captured moths, but this year I took an 

 entirely opposite course, and kept every egg I could obtain, until, 

 towards the end of summer, I was fairly beaten by numbers. 



However, I have succeeded in bringing on to the state in which 

 they should at present naturally be nearly sixty broods, varying in 

 number of individuals from 3 to 3 x 30, and comprising more than 

 forty species, — having let but one species of all that 1 took in hand 

 slip through my fingers. The apparatus I have used is that recom- 

 mended in the 'Entomologist's Annual' for 1855, — the flower-pot and 

 glass cylinder, — and for a preparatory academy it answers admirably, 

 giving to the juveniles light and security, and to their owner a much 

 better opportunity of watching their forms and movements, whilst 

 they are small and easily hidden, than any less open case can afford. 

 It is also cheap ; small flower-pots of course are not costly, and, as to 

 glass cylinders, I use lamp-chimneys of old-fashioned forms, which the 

 chandler was glad enough to get off his hands at a very low rate. 

 When sand, in which to stick the food-plant, cannot be easily pro- 

 cured, fine earth will answer very well, and — if the remark be not 

 thought too obvious — I may hint that, next to a growing plant, a young 

 shoot on a bit of old wood or stem will last fresh longer than anything 

 else ; however, where possible, 1 always have (instead of leaves or 

 twigs plucked off) a small growing plant, ready potted, before the 

 larvae are hatched. A little trouble spent in picking up, during one's 

 rambles, seedling oaks, birches, thorns, or clean healthy plants of 

 bedstraw, plantain, &c., will save one a great deal of after-trouble in 

 changing food, as well as lessen the risk of injuring one's stock: a 

 growing plant, if properly managed and proportioned to the number of 

 mouths put upon it, will last good till most larvae are big enough to be 

 easily and safely removed to their finishing-cage : this may still be a 

 flower-pot, larger of course than the first, and covered with leno, 



* Reprinted from the ' Entomologist's Weekly Intelligencer.' The author is 

 anonymous in the ' Intelligencer,' but I take on myself the responsibility of vouching 

 for his statements, being well acquainted with his accuracy and veracity.— Zil/wun/ 

 Newman. 



