NOCTUlDiE. 
455 
Wlk., is a small dull brown motli found abundantly in long grass and 
under trees. 
Ophideres is a large genus of large £ yellow underwing ’ moths, with 
several species common in the plains. The moth sucks the juice of fruit 
and at least one species (0. fullonica, Linn.) is destructive to orange 
cultivation on that account. The common species are 0. salaminia , 
Fabr.; 0. ancilla, Fabr.; 0. fullonica, Linn. ; 0. materna, Linn. ; and 0. 
hypermnestra, Cram. The student should see Moore’s revision of Ophi- 
derinae (Trans. Zook Soc., XI, p. 63) where he figures imagines and larvae. 
The latter are large dark coloured insects, smooth with large yellow and 
red eye spots and are humped semi-loopers. In spite of the large size 
of the caterpillars, they are seldom found ; the larvae of 0. materna 
are dark brown, with blue transverse bands, red spots on the thorax 
and red transverse bands on the second and third abdominal segments. 
Pupation takes place among dry leaves fastened with silk. The moths 
are typical examples of the deceptive colouring found in many Noctuids, 
the forewings being cryptically coloured, the hindwings bright, the 
moths resting with the latter covered and only exposing them in flight. 
(Compare with Anisoneura.) 
Thermesia rubricans, Boisd., varies in colour from light ochreous 
brown to deep red brown ; its larva is green, semi-looping, and feeds 
upon Urid (Phaseolus mungo) and other Leguminosae, being often 
abundant in the rains. 
Erastriince. Hyelopsis signifera, Wlk., is a pretty little white and 
brown moth, whose green semi-looping larva has been found feeding on 
rice leaves. The full-grown larva folds the rice leaf over in three folds 
and makes a cocoon within this, the pupa wriggling half out for the 
emergence of the moth. 
Tar ache is an important genus, its larvae being semi-loopers feeding 
on weeds and cultivated plants, the moths in all cases sitting exposed on 
plants and having a more or less close resemblance to bird droppings. 
Five species are known in the plains. T. catena, Sow. ; T. opalinoides, 
Guen. ; and T. notabilis, Wlk., are pure white moths with lead coloured 
markings on the forewing. The last has a conspicuous larva with six pro¬ 
minent yellow spots, which feeds on cotton and wild Malvaceae, appearing 
occasionally in great abundance. T. opalinoides, Guen., has been reared 
