Tent Caterpillars. 



i93 



colour of the twigs, and are thus well-known objects in an 

 orchard. 



About the end of April they hatch. The young larvae are 

 almost black at first, and more or less hairy. Very soon 

 after they commence to form a fine web, enclosing a few 

 leaves, and beneath this little tent of silk they continue to 

 feed for some time. As they grow the silken house is 

 enlarged, until in some large colonies it may reach nearly 

 a foot in length. At first the larvae feed entirely under the 

 tent, but as they grow they spread out over the trees, and 

 faed off the leafage and blossom, returning to the web at 

 night and in wet weather. They become brilliantly coloured 

 as they grow, being bluish- grey, with two black spots on the 

 segment next the head, and two also on the bluish-grey head ; 

 three orange-red stripes run along each side, and between the 

 two lowest of these is a broad blue stripe with little black 

 specks, these brilliant lines being separated by black and 

 black spotted with blue, and a white stripe down the back 

 with a narrow black line on each side ; the whole larva is 

 covered with rather rusty hairs, darker above than at the 

 sides. When full-grown it reaches an inch and a half in 

 length. On warm days they may often be found in batches, 

 several lying parallel with one another, either on the outside 

 of the tent or along tha branches. They are somewhat timid, 

 and fall to the ground on the tree being shaken, but soon 

 crawl back to the foliage again. They are said to lower 

 themselves by a silken thread, but this is not certain. From 

 the middle of June to the end of July the caterpillars reach 

 maturity, and spin a delicate loose white cocoon, the silk being 

 mixed with a yellowish powder and numerous hairs of the 

 larvae. These cases are formed amongst the leaves, on the 

 bark, amongst grass below the trees, on walls, fences, etc., 

 always above ground. In this cocoon the larva changes to a 

 dark brown pupa, from which the moth hatches out in from 

 two to three weeks. 



The " Lackey " larvae feed also on oak, elm, hawthorn, and 

 many other trees and shrubs. 



Closely-related species, which work in a similar way, are 

 found amongst fruit and forest trees in North America. 



O 



