THE GREEN FORESTER 51 



PLATE XXVII 

 THE GREEN FORESTER (2) 



When one first sees this pretty little insect 

 flitting about in the hot sunshine it is rather 

 difficult to believe that it is really a moth, for 

 it looks a great deal more like a bright green 

 fly. The best places in which to look for it are 

 grassy clearings in woods in which mulleins are 

 growing; for it is very fond indeed of resting 

 on the blossoms of those plants, where its glossy 

 green wings form a most lovely contrast to the 

 yellow petals. On dull days, however, it never 

 flies at all ; and even on fine ones, if the sun is 

 clouded over for more than a very few minutes, 

 all the Green Foresters are sure to disappear. 



The caterpillar of this moth is shaped exactly 

 like a tiny woodlouse, and its legs are so short 

 that you can only just see its feet projecting 

 from underneath its fat little body. It is dingy 

 green in colour, with a line of black spots running 

 along the middle of its back, and a pale stripe 

 along each side. It feeds on the common sorrel, 

 and when it is fully fed it spins a little silken 

 cocoon among the leaves, and turns to a chrysalis 

 inside it. Look for the caterpillar in May and 

 the early part of June, and for the moth about 

 midsummer. 



