204 The Grass or Antler Moth. By James Hardy. 



mit the insects were observed, which moved down to the mountain-path 

 from the burnt herbage with extraordinary rapidity. 



" On proceeding some miles towards Maisteg, leaving the Ogmore and 

 Garw Valleys on the left, everywhere caterpillars were swarming, and a 

 large hole in the peat Avas observed in which thousands had fallen and 

 died. The Maindy and Bwllfa Mountains were alive with them; and, 

 standing on the ridge above the Ogmore Valley, the smoke of the mountain- 

 fires was to be seen to the west, where attempts were being made to 

 destroy the pests. 



" Further details ai'e given in this and in other accounts, of which the 

 main points are— the great area attacked and the damage done ; the 

 necessity of burning the surface to destroy or drive away the caterpillars, 

 and likewise the vast numbers found drowned where there was water to 

 fall into ; and also the quantities of rooks or crows which nocked to the 

 infested area." (Eeport of Observations on Injurious Insects, 1884, pp. 

 15-18). 



Miss Ormerod writes : " Tire nicest account I know of its life- 

 lustory and habits, is in the Prahtische Insehtenhwide of Dr E. 

 L. Taschenberg, Part 3, pp. 131-133." 



The following remarks I owe to Mr Adam Elliot, well-known 

 to the Club, for the attention he has paid to Roxburghshire 

 Lepidoptera. 



" Almost every year we have seen recorded in local newspapers notice* 

 of the Caterpillar of this Moth appearing in large numbers, and generally 

 reported from hill localities, or their immediate vicinity. At the time of 

 these reports, which is generally in the beginning of July, instead of this 

 being a cause of alarm for the future, which they seem to be, it is a sign 

 that the work of destruction worked by these larvae has been all but 

 finished ; for, although some of the later broods will still be consuming the 

 grass roots — for it is upon these they feed almost exclusively — the great 

 body of these caterpillars have now readied the period of full growth, or are, 

 ;is entomologists say " full fed," and are seeking places of concealment, 

 tinder moss, slightly under the earth, and even on its surface, to undergo 

 their metamorphosis, and assume the chrysalis condition. These larva-, 

 being root feeders, are less liable to the attacks of their natural enemies, the 

 parasitic Diptera and Ichneumonidcc ; and so when a year comes with 

 climatic conditions! favourable to the preservation of the ova and youn<<- 

 larvae of the moth, it appears in great numbers in every grassy hill-side 

 and common, for it is a generally distributed species everywhere in the 

 northern counties wherever localities are favourable. The male of the 

 moth Mies by day and at dusk, and the female at the latter time, and they 

 may be often found settled on Ragwort and Thistle flowers, notably the 

 species ■palustria. 



"As to the remedies, burning the grass in late Autumn might destroy the 

 ova of the moth, but for obvious reasons, at that time it is impracticable. 

 Top-dressing the grass in the end of May and beginning of June with 



