140 



THE SMALL MAGPIE MOTH. 



Phalcena Urticala. 



PLATE xciv. 



Phalicna Urticatn, Linn. Sj/st. Nat. ii. p. 873 — Turlon's 



Linne, iii. p. 269 Donovan's Brit. Ins. pi. 349, fig. 2. 



— Botys Urticata, Latreille. 



The head, throat, and abdomen are rich yellow, 

 as is that partof the superior wings near the shoulder ; 

 all the wings are white, finely spotted with black. 



The larva conceals itself in a kind of cylinder, 

 fomied \)y rolling up the edges of nettle leaves, 

 on which it feeds. It is whitish, with a dark 

 dorsal line ; head black, and two spots of the same 

 colour on the segment next the head. It continues 

 in this way till the cold weather sets in, when it 

 changes to a red colour, and spins a buff coloured 

 case, through which it may be distinctly seen ; in 

 about a month it changes to a yellow colour. In 

 the following May it assumes the chrysalis state, 

 and transfoiTns in June. 



This insect is found abundantly near London. 



