WARNING COLORS, WITH EXAMPLES 



139 



seems to be able to take on more brightly colored hues without 

 sacrifice to life. But the attitude of butterflies and disposition 

 of color also contribute to this protection. 



The distribution of color in butterflies shows that all the 

 brilliant coloring is on the upper surface of all four wings, 

 while Ihe under surface is almost always soberly colored, and 

 often very dark and obscure. The moths, on the contrary, 

 have generally their chief color on the hind wings only, the upper 

 wings being of dull, sombre, and often imitative tints, and these 

 generally conceal the hind wings when the insects are in repose. 

 This arrangement of colors is therefore eminently protective, 

 because the butterfly always rests witli liis wings raised so as 

 to conceal the dangerous brilliancy of his upper surfaces. 



Warning colors are not only possessed by butterflies, but 

 wasps and bees which have stings are often conspicuously 

 colored with yellow and black. 



The Painted Lady Butterfly and Its World-wide 

 Distribution 



NE of our handsomest butterflies, the Painted 

 Lady, is portrayed in the accompanying plate 

 illustration. This species of butterfly frequents 

 the flowers of the thistle during July, and it is 

 from the almost constant association of these 

 insects with this flower that it is often called the 

 thistle butterfly. This fact also led Linnaeus to 

 name it Pyrameis cardui. 



In England, where the identical species is 

 found, it is often known as tlie Painted Lady, 

 in deference to its beautiful colors. Its life 

 history is not without interest. It lays its eggs 

 on several common species of thistle, the bur- 

 dock, nettle, and marshmallow. The develop- 



