Wood Leopard Moth. 



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that it is more frequently found in the metropolitan districts 

 than in the country, and sometimes causes considerable 

 destruction to the trees and shrubs in the public parks and 

 private gardens of the metropolis. 



Large quantities of eggs are laid by this moth. Curtis 

 says that as many as 300 have been laid by one female. 

 They are orange-coloured and oval, and are laid upon the 

 stems and branches of trees. In a few days caterpillars come 

 out and bore into the bark, where they remain feeding until 

 the winter, when they bore deeper into the woody parts of the 

 trees. They remain in larval state for two years, during 

 which time they are feeding continuously. Pupation takes 

 place in the month of May and the moths come out in June. 

 The caterpillar is close upon two inches in length, with deeply 

 divided segments. Its colour varies somewhat, according to 

 the age of the larva, between yellowish white and yellow, with 

 several black spots on each segment ; the second segment is 

 larger than the others and is covered with a wide dorsal plate 

 of a dark-brown colour. Its head is rather small and blackish 

 brown, and its mouth is furnished with strong jaws adapted 

 for biting hard substances. 



Pupation takes place close to the bark of the tree in which 

 the larva has been feeding. The bark just over the hole or 

 tunnel is left so thin by the larva that the pupa can force itself 

 through it, and the empty case is found protruding from the 

 hole after the escape of the moth. The pupa is nearly an inch 

 long, brown in colour, and has rows of sharp spikes upon its 

 back which serve to retain it in the mouth of the gallery during 

 the escape of the moth. 



Remedies and Methods of Prevention. 



But little can be done to prevent the attack of this moth, or 

 to check its progress. In the early stages it may be destroyed 

 by poking stiff wire into the holes so as to pierce and kill 

 it ; but the caterpillar often takes a tortuous course and can- 

 not always easily be reached by the wire. The hole may be 

 discovered, although it is very small, by the collection of frass 

 and excrement at the opening. 

 • Syringing the holes with mixtures of unpleasant materials, 



