COLLECTING BUTTERFLY LARV.AE. 43 



the tubes in which they hide, and which are made by spinning the two 

 edges of a leaf together, so as to enclose themselves therein. 



The fullfed larvae of Augiades sylvanus are to be found in early May 

 on Luzula pilosa, the edges of a leaf of which are folded over, and lined 

 with silk, to form a puparium, in which the larva changes to a 

 chrysalis. 



The larvae of Aricia (Polyommatus) astrarche var. salmacis are to be 

 taken in late May and early June on Helianthemum vulgare, in the northern 

 counties of England. From pupae, formed from larvae obtained June 

 3rd, 1877, near Hartlepool, three imagines — apparently salmacis, 

 artaxerxes, and astrarche, on the upperside, but more like salmacis on 

 the underside, emerged. 



The larvae of Aricia (Polyommatus) var. artaxerxes are to be found on 

 the undersides of the leaves of Helianthemum vulgare throughout May, 

 their colour assimilating remarkably well with that of the underside 

 of the leaves of the foodplant ; the larvae pupate towards the end of the 

 month in a nearly perpendicular position amongst the stems of 

 the Helianthemum, and slightly attached thereto by a few silk threads 

 near the ground. 



The larvae of Strymon (Thecla) w-album are sometimes to be obtained 

 in numbers at the end of May, and in early June, by beating elms. 

 Searching is recommended, and an interesting account of this mode 

 of capture is given in Ent. Rec, x., p. 137. 



In early May the larvae of Melitaea athalia are to be found on 

 Melampyrum pratense, Plantago major, and P. lanceolata, the first-named 

 foodplant being apparently preferred. 



The larvae of Limenitis sibylla are more readily found in May than in 

 April. Look out for freshly-eaten leaves, and then search the stem 

 round, being careful not to overlook the trailing branches. They 

 want close work, being only about half-an-inch in length at the com- 

 mencement, but almost fullfed at the end, of the month. 



Beat sallows through this month for larvae of Apatura iris — sallows 

 that stand high and dry in the middle of a marsh even furnish larva? 

 — for the 2 wanders very far in search of sallows, and you never know 

 on what stunted little bush may be feeding the horned head that is so 

 dear a prize. 



In May search carefully the terminal buds of a buckthorn bush, 

 Rhamnus frangula or R. catharticus, for the larvae of Gonepteryx 

 rhamni ; several may often be found on one bush. 



In late May and throughout June, the flowering stems of Cardamine 

 pratensis and Sisymbrium officinale should be searched for the young 

 larvae of Euchlo'e cardamines: they are very like the seed-pods of their 

 foodplants. 



In confinement, the larvae of Pierisnapi will feed well on horse-radish. 

 They also eat Nasturtium officinale, Barbarea vulgaris, etc. 



Towards the end of the month, plants of Vicia cracca and Lathy r us 

 tuberosas, growing by hedges or on the borders of woods, should be 

 searched for the young larvae of Leptosia sinapis. 



June. — The young larva? of Niso7iiades tages are to be found, at the 

 end of June and throughout July, in little hollows, formed by drawing 

 together three leaflets of Lotus corniculatus ; the two outer ones being- 

 drawn close together, and the third one bent over like a curved roof ; 

 the structure looks almost exactly like a leaf not quite expanded. 



In early June the larvae of Adopaea flava (thaumas) are to be swept 



