THE RINGLET 
87 
Just before hatching it is darker, and the larva shows clearly 
through the shell. The egg state lasts, as a rule, about 
eighteen days. 
Larva. When fully grown after the fourth moult, the larva 
is 21 mm. long. The head is strongly granulated, each point 
emitting a hair, and is of an ochreous colour. The body is also 
of the same colour and is checkered with short longitudinal 
rose-coloured streaks. Down the back is a dull ochreous line, 
faint on the first three segments, gradually deepening to the 
anal segment; at each segmental division is a brown mark, 
increasing in depth and size to the last segment. There is a 
lateral pinkish-white stripe, bordered on each side by a lilac- 
rose line. Legs and claspers are pale brown. The entire 
surface is sprinkled with hairs of various lengths. 
During the day the larva rests in a straight position on the 
grass stems, feeding only at night. Upon the slightest dis¬ 
turbance it falls from its food and rolls into a complete ring, 
remaining motionless for a minute or more ; 
it then suddenly straightens itself to its 
former position. When ready for pupation, 
it very loosely spins a few silken threads, 
forming a very slight cocoon among the roots 
of grass, wherein it pupates without attaching 
itself to anything. The larval state lasts 
about 280 days. It feeds on various grasses, 
including Couch Grass (Triticum repens) 
and Annual Meadow Grass (Poa annua). 
Pupa. The average length of the pupa : 
male 11 mm. ; female 127 mm. It is of 
stout proportions ; the head is blunt without 
any angulations ; the abdomen is short and 
contracted; the thorax is swollen and 
rounded with a slight dorsal keel; the base 
of the wing is rather angulated. The crem¬ 
aster is without hooks, but with small 
straight spines at the extreme tip. The 
ground colour is ochreous, tinged slightly 
with pink on the. thorax and abdomen ; the 
entire surface is finely reticulated with amber- 
brown ; and the wings are more or less 
The Ringlet. 
Segment of larva 
immediately 
after hatching 
(magnified). 
