246 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. [November 



NOTES FOR BEGINNERS.— MICRO LARV^ 



FOR THE MONTH. 



BY GEO. ELISHA, F.E.S. 



The year is getting on apace, and towards the end of November 

 the collecting of those larvae feeding in folded leaves, or mining them, 

 or on the seeds of plants is drawing to a close, and although we oc- 

 casionally come across many larvae at this time just beginning to feed, 

 they all hibernate, so had better be left till the winter is over, when 

 they again commence operations, for at that time the herbage is low, 

 and the work of the larvae easily detected, the probability is, we shall 

 then rear every larva we may find. 



This is the best month to take the larva of L. lantanella ; they mine the 

 leaves of the wayfaring tree (Vibiirnam lantana ) forming large bladdery 

 like mines, and although full grown this month they do not change to 

 the pupa till the following spring ; they are easily reared by putting the 

 mined leaves In a flower pot and keeping in a cool place : the leaves 

 of the nut one cannot help noticing at this time, for the gallery like 

 mines of the larva of Nep. niicvotheriella and Jloslactella are very con- 

 spicuous, as many as twenty to thirty larvae of the former are often 

 found in one leaf, and a few of the latter also, the coccoon oi Jloslactella 

 is white, and that of microtlieriella light brown, and a singular fact in 

 connection Vvdth these last is, they appear to like company when spin- 

 ning their coccoons, for although there are plenty of leaves in the cage, 

 they congregate in clusters, as many as twenty-six coccoons all close 

 together between tvv^o leaves will often be found and dozens of leaves 

 with not a single coccoon. 



The shady banks of the margins of woods must now be examined 

 for the bush vetch (Vicia septum J which although generally low grow- 

 ing, is occasionally found creeping up between the bushes in hedges 

 two or three feet, and securely fastening itself by means of its delicate 

 tendrils; its leaves at this time are being mined by the larvae of L. 

 bremielln, they mine the entire leaflet, and some may be found appar- 

 ently just commencing to mine to quite the end oi the month. The 

 leaves of the young oaks, seven or eight inches high, are still being 

 mined b}^ the larvae of L. laiitella, and the gallery like mines of the 

 larva of N. quinquella will be observed in the leaves of the larger trees. 



