//(.serfs' In'jiiriou.s lo [he f'hciri/. 



187 



LlFK-]IlSTOJ;V AMI H UIITS. 



The butterfly is about L'l to 3 iiirhes across (lie ex]ian.k'd wiii^^s. 

 The colour of the fore wings is rich .irange-fimwD, dusky at tVie lia'sc, 

 marked as shown in tlie pliotograph ( Kig. 144) \\-illi lila'ck ; the liind 

 wings are of ;i similar colnur, duslc}- at tlie base, with n single black 

 spot at the eeutre of the nj.per edge. Theie is a, dusky border to the 

 fore wings and the same to the hind, with dark blue <aesc(mts, the 

 largest in the nnildle. Tbe butterfly appciirs in July, and many 

 hibernate over the winter in sheltered spots. The eggs are laid in 

 i\ray on the t\^'igs of the food plants, often completely surrounding 

 the twigs in lingdike manner. 



The caterpillars live in colonies until their hr.st moult, when they 

 .spread ovw the trees. The young ones cover thenrselves \\itli a wr], 



of fine silk, beneath which they live, liuds and young lea\es ;ire 

 eaten by them in their early stages, and the twigs in their neighbour- 

 hood are soon .stripped of all foliage. 



The mature caterpillar is Idack' or Ijrownish-black, with a yellow 

 line along the sides, and the yellowish-bro\\-n spines haxe black 

 points, numerous ochreons-brown freckles on the back, fornnng a 

 longitudinal band bounded by the sub-dorsal spines ; in the middle of 

 the back is a dorsal line of black; on the sides are numerous grey 

 specks gi\-ing a greyish hue ; arouml the spiracles there is ochreous- 

 Ijrown. A\4ien full grc>wn the \av\a is about 'J inches long. 



By mid June they have all dispersed and suspend themselves by 

 the tail and change into the chrysalis state, hanging head downwards. 

 Tho chrvsalis has two rows of tubercle.s running down the back. 

 yellow at the extremit}', ringed \\'ith black; at the thoriicic end of 



