THE GOLDEN-EIGHT MOTH IN GREAT BRITAIN. 89 
The following brief sketch of the moth’s life-history will 
complete this summary. 
The cream-coloured eggs are laid in July (or late June) on the 
flowerspikes of monk’shood ( Aconitum ) and larkspur (Delphinium) 
and in about a week the larvae hatch and commence to feed on 
the flowers. They are at first maggot-like with brownish heads 
and pale bodies dotted with black, but gradually become green 
with from four to six black dots on each segment, a short stiff 
bristly hair springing from each dot. They remain of this colour 
substantially until the last moult which leaves them pale green 
with a darker line down the back and a white one along each 
side. In this stage they feed quite exposed on the leaves, and 
when full}/ grown retire to the yellow leaves at the bottom of 
the plant and spin beautiful creamy white or yellow cocoons 
on the underside with a transverse slit at one end through which 
the moth emerges. The pupa is black on the back and otherwise 
green. The moth measures about an inch and a half across 
the expanded wings, which are rather broad in proportion to 
their length and are of a golden grey colour, with darker lines 
and shadings and on the fore wings a central marking of a shin¬ 
ing golden or brassy colour, like an ear in shape, or sometimes 
like two small coins with darker centres, whence the name 
moneta. 
Under favourable climatic conditions this species appears 
to be double-brooded, but in cool seasons a single brood is the 
rule. In this country—at least, in the south—there appears 
to be sometimes a partial second brood in September, the first, 
or normal, brood appearing in May or June. The moths of the 
first brood fly about 9 p.m. ; those of the second about 6 p.m., 
and they frequent other flowers besides those of the food-plants. 
The larvae pass the winter close to or under the ground, in 
the dead hollow stems of the food plants, or amongst the new 
growths waiting to shoot up, and commence feeding as soon as 
the plants have grown sufficiently to provide the necessary 
accommodation, the 26th March being the earliest record I 
can find 7 for this. They spin the young leaves and developing 
buds together forming a sort of tent or bower, in which they feed. 
I have found very young ones in autumn feeding on the seeds 
in the late capsules. 
7 Ent. XXXVI., p. 101. 
