7« 
SATYRIDAE 
hibernate and produce the early emergence of butterflies the 
following spring. 
Hibernation. The winter is passed in the larval state, 
usually after the third moult in September, and the larva 
settles down to hibernation in October, but it does not enter 
into complete torpidity as it feeds at times when the weather 
is mild during the winter months. After hibernation it often 
feeds during the daytime. 
Egg and Egg Laying. The Small Heath deposits its eggs 
singly on the blades of various grasses. The larvae feed readily 
on the Annual Meadow Grass (Poa annua), the Wood Meadow 
Grass ( P . ncmoralis ), the Meadow Fescue Grass (Festuca 
pratcnsis) and other kinds. 
The egg is very large for the size of the butterfly, being 
070 mm. high and of a truncated oblong shape. The crown 
is sunken, but the centre is convex ; about fifty keels run 
from the apical brim to the base, the spaces between are 
finely ribbed transversely. When first laid, the colour is light 
green, gradually changing to ochreous-green, with irregular 
light sienna-brown blotches ; some specimens are zoned. The 
colour change is continuous, gradually becoming paler ochreous 
and later pale creamy-buff, banded with purplish-grey, and 
turning finally to a transparent glassy shell, showing the larva 
most clearly within. The egg stage lasts about 14 days. 
Larva. The larva attains full growth after its fourth moult, 
and when about 270 days old. When crawling, it measures 
19 mm. long. The head is larger than the first segment, the 
body is tapering and ends in two pink and white points bearing 
short white spines. The upper half of the body is pale 
yellowish-green and the lower half is dark-green. Along the 
back are three longitudinal dark-green stripes, each bordered 
on either side by a whitish-green line, and a broad spiracular 
dull ochreous-green band divided down the middle by a very 
fine pale line, bordered by a light citrine-yellow lateral line. 
The whole of the ventral surface is dark-green ; the head is 
clear green ; the legs and claspers are tinged with lilac. The 
entire surface of the head and body is sprinkled with minute 
white warts, each having a tiny curved spine ; the ventral 
surface is densely sprinkled with very minute black specks. 
When ready for pupation, the larva attaches itself to a pad 
