FAMILY HABITS IN BUTTERFLY LARV.E THE LYCLENIDS. 71 



was dull yellow, obviously well-suited to assimilate with papilionaceous 

 flowers. Bearing on the same point, Sich writes that it is well-known 

 that the calyces of Thymus serpyllum are usually of a purple tint and 

 bairy, and the young larva of Lycaena avion is also of this colour, and 

 very hairy ; when the little larva, therefore, is half buried in a calyx, 

 or, when on the calyx, eating into the corolla, it is difficult to discover 

 even by the aid of a lens. Frohawk further notes that, as the larvae 

 of this species get larger (in second instar), a remarkable similarity 

 exists between them and the flower-buds of thyme, both in colouring 

 and pubescence ; so great is this that it requires very close examination 

 to discern the larvae, detection being the more difficult as they still 

 generally conceal themselves inside the bloom, only the anal segments 

 protruding. Edwards, referring (Can. Ent., viii., pp. 202-3) to the 

 cryptic resemblance that the young larvae of Everes corny ntas bear to 

 their foodplants, remarks that those on Desmodium feed on the young 

 leaves and green flower-buds, and are of nearly the same shade of 

 green as the plant, whilst those on clover-flowers are red or reddish, 

 and escape notice by keeping among the flowerets, the colour and 

 habit remaining until maturity, the larger larvae curving their bodies 

 to the surface of the clover-buds, or burrowing into them. Similarly 

 it may be noted that the larva of Cupido minima, among the 

 calyces of Anthyllis vulneraria, is almost indistinguishable from 

 its surroundings, even by an entomologist. On the contrary, 

 those Lycaenid larvae which have adopted a habit that requires 

 them to hide by day and feed by night, are active enough, and 

 among the exotic groups there are many striking exceptions to this 

 highly-developed sluggishness. Anderson and Spry (Victorian Butterflies, 

 p. 106) describe how the larval habits of Ogyris olane have led to their 

 being rather vagrant in their movements. They observe that " the 

 larvae being, like all other larvae of the genus, nocturnal-feeders, fre- 

 quently have to travel considerable distances from their food to find a 

 shelter, under which to hide for the day ; this is more especially the case 

 at certain periods of the year, when some trees are almost devoid of loose 

 bark. In the summer months, too, the Lorantlius, on which they feed, 

 loses most of its leaves, and, consequently, any larva on a piece of the plant 

 to which this happens, would have to travel in search of fresh fields and 

 pastures new. When one considers the small proportion of Lorantlius 

 to the trees on which it is found, it seems very wonderful that the larvae 

 should ever reach another patch, and, in fact, these enforced wanderings 

 frequently have a fatal termination, the caterpillars dying of starva- 

 tion ; yet they sometimes display a most wonderful vitality and will 

 frequently complete their transformations after a prolonged abstinence 

 from food, and when only about half the size they should properly 

 attain ; in this case, however, they take a longer time turning into 

 pupae, and also remain in that stage longer than usual. . . . When, 

 on the other hand, circumstances are favourable, food abundant and 

 succulent, and there is plenty of shelter in the immediate vicinity, 

 the larvae do not travel far, but feed vigorously, and only take a couple 

 of days to turn to pupae. 



The food-habit of the Lycaenid larvae undoubtedly tends to the 

 choice of leguminous plants in the majority of species. Some 

 prefer shrubby Leyuminosae, e.g., Lampides, etc. ; many, however, 

 prefer low -growing herbaceous plants of the order, and various species 



