March  17,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
227 
Some  Early  Caterpillars. 
About  this  time  of  the  year  a  gardener  is  likely  to  renew  his 
acquaintance  with  caterpillars,  while  he  is  engaged  in  turning 
oyer  the  soil,  or  cutting  off  branches  and  twigs.  Some  cater¬ 
pillar  appears  which  has  been  feeding  upon  the  roots  and  crowns 
of  plants,  or  there  is  one  burrowing  along  the  pith.  This  meet¬ 
ing  is  seldom  agreeable  to  either  party.  It  reminds  the  gardener 
of  insects  which  have  given  him  far  too  much  annoyance  in  the 
past,  and  the  caterpillar’s  career  is  probably  cut  short. 
The  subterranean  caterpillars,  living  from  autumn  to  spring 
or  summer,  doubtless  vary  in  habit,  but  most  of  them  eat 
sparingly  during  the  winter.  Those  living  through  that  season 
in  the  wood  of  trees,  whether  it  be  branch  or  solid  tree  trunk, 
seem  inclined  to  be  torpid,  feeling  the  influence  of  the  lower  tem¬ 
perature.  Some,  indeed,  contrive  a  winter  nest,  the  too  common 
cateiq^illar  of  the  goat  inoth  does  so,  which  is  lined  for  warmth. 
Frequently,  I  have  split  open  Currant  twigs,  where  the  Currant 
clearwing  caterpillar  makes  its  burrows.  Though  the  insect  is 
small,  it  takes  two  years  to  complete  its  history,  and  this  fact 
renders  it  highly  probable  it  does  not  eat  during  the  colder 
months. 
Just  now,  however,  we  are  not  going  to  refer  any  more  to  the 
hidden  caterpillars  of  winter,  in  wood  or  earth,  that  are  becoming 
more  active  on  the  approach  of  spring,  but  notice  a  few  of  the 
hybernating  species  which  have  braved  the  cold  months  exposed 
to  the  air,  or  with  only  slight  shelter.  These  are  more  sizeable 
than  other  early  caterpillars  which  are  beginning  to  appear  upon 
twigs  and  leaves,  which  have  only  recently  emerged  from  the  egg. 
To  these  the  rough  winds  and  .sharp  frosts  which  March  often 
brings  are  far  from  favourable.  Eggs  may  be  retarded  in  hatch¬ 
ing,  but  neither  cold  nor  moisture  acts  upon  them  injuriously. 
Cold  does  not  hurt  the  bulk  of  hybernating  caterpillars,  some 
will  even  get  so  congealed  that  the.y  will  chink  in  a  box,  if 
shaken,  like  little  stones,  yet  revive  afterwards.  Much  moisture, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  against  them,  causing  disease  that  is  fatal. 
Therefore,  it  is  evident  the  heavy  rains  of  the  past  autumn 
and  winter  must  have  had  the  effect  of  thinning  their  numbers 
notably.  Those  particularly  reposing  on  or  near  the  ground  must 
have  often  been  drowned  by  the  downpour,  others  may  have  fared 
better  that  are  sheltered  in  a  cocoon,  or  rest  upon  the  under 
side  of  a  branch.  Yet  a  strong  cocoon  may  fail  to  resist  damp. 
The  social  winter  nest  of  the  brown-tail  moth  is  formed  of  tough 
material,  but  the  broods  sometimes  perish  during  the  winter,  and 
it  has  been  .scarce  of  late,  much  to  the  benefit  of  our  fruit  trees. 
Its  common  relative,  the  gold  tail,  lives  solitary,  the  cater¬ 
pillar  spinning  a  double  cocoon  on  Hawthorn,  occasionally  on 
other  shrubs,  and  comes  forth  in  April  to  feed  up.  One  of  our 
friends,  whoi  is  somewhat  interested  in  caterpillar  life,  has  asked 
whether,  on  the  whole,  those  furnished  with  a  coating  of  hair  are 
better  able  to  resist  the  weather  than  their  naked  brethren. 
Probably  the  hairs  afford  protection  from  the  cold.  This  is 
certain,  that  the  tiger  moths  have  caterpillars  densely  clothed, 
which  live  through  the  winter  at  least.  So  do  the  rather  hairy 
footman  caterpillars,  but  not  the  also  hairy  ermines.  As  to  rain, 
one  doubts  whether  the  hairs  are  a  benefit ;  the  moisture  may 
come  through  to  the  skin,  and  a  caterpillar  cannot  shake  itself 
dry. 
'During  the  fir,st  mild  days  of  .spring,  the  caterpillar  of  the 
great  tiger  (Arctiacaia)  occurs  upon  various  low  plants  in  gardens, 
rolling  into  a  ball  if  alarmed  ;  later,  it  is  now  and  then-  seen  upon 
shrubs,  yet  is  partial  to  the  Hollyhock.  By  rolling  suddenly  into 
a  hairy  ball  it  eludes  some  enemies.  It  is  notable  that  this  hairy 
covering  is  changed  by  the  caterpillar  eight  or  nine  times  during 
its  life.  The  moth  is  stated  to  lay  a  large  number  of  eggs,  about 
600.  This  suggests  that  many  caterpillars  die  immature,  or  the 
moth  would  bei  more  abundant. 
Not  in  gardens  with  well-trimmed  lawns,  but  where  the  grass 
grows  freely  along  lanes  and  by-paths,  the  drinker  caterpillar 
comes  from  his  winter  sleep  to  feed  on  the  new  blades.  He  has 
his  name  from  his  partiality  for  sipping  now  and  then  a  drop  of 
morning  dew.  We  call  him  handsome,  for  he  is  garbed  in  blue- 
grey,  orange,  black,  and  white ;  when  adult,  he  spins  a  shuttle¬ 
shaped  cocoon  of  leathery  texture,  fixed  to  a  stem,  and  flies 
forth  a  week  or  two  after  midsummer. 
Better  known,  and  of  less  size,  yet  able  to  be  mischievous,  is 
the  Gooseberry  caterpillar,  or  magpie  (Abraxas  grossularia) 
new  seeking  out  the  buds  of  that  shrub,  also  visiting  the  Black 
Currant,  and  occa.sionally  the  red  variety.  You  may  go  into  a 
cottage  garden  and  find  some  in  winter  reposing  on  the  branches, 
perhaps  slightly  protected  by  a  leaf.  Caterpillars,  like  most 
Greatures,  know  where  they  are  well  treated.  There  are  places 
where  they  have  to  look  out  for  their  lives,  and  hide  during  the 
cold  season  amongst  stones,  in  cracks  of  walls,  or  in  Box  edging 
and  other  low  plants.  Even  then  they  may  have  a  poor  chance 
of  escaping  in  spring,  for  skilled  gardeners  spray  the  shrubs 
diligently,  just  about  the  time  the  caterpillars  are  making  them¬ 
selves  visible.  One  important  way  of  keeping  the  species  down 
is  to  remove  during  the  summer  any  of  the  conspicuous  black 
and  yellow  piipie  that  can  be  found. 
We  have  examples  of  hardy  caterpillars  amongst  those  pro- 
clucing  the  thorn  moths.  Some  of  these  rest  exposed,  either  flat 
or  halt  benC  upon  twigs  all  through  the  winter.  Some  feed  on 
^ircii,  -^hj  Lilac,  or  occasionally  on  the  Rose  early  in  the  spring, 
^eing  about  half-grown  then,  brown,  or  greyish,  and  humped, 
they  may  easily  be  mistakenj  for  portions  of  twig.  Familiar  to 
us  in  March  or  April  is  the  caterpillar  of  the  angleshades  moth 
(Rhlogophord,  meticulosa)  which  has  nibbled  Chickweed  or 
Groundsel  through  the  winter,  and  is  now  seeking  leaves  of  the 
Rrimrose,  Chrysanthemum,  and  other  garden  plants.  It  is 
velvety,  greenish,  or  light  brown,  always  sprinkled  with  white. 
Another  caterpillar  that  is  active  ea'rly  in  the  season  of  growth 
IS  the  gothic  (Nsenia  typica),  a  dull  brown  caterpillar  striped, 
having  a  small,  glossy  head;  it  feeds  ravenously  on  herbaceous 
plants,  but  never  ascends  trees. 
When  the  trees  and  shrubs  are  bare  of  leaves,  the  egg  patches 
of  the  vapoiirer  moth  (Orgyia  antiqua)  are  plainly  visible,  being 
laid  by  the  parent  outside  her  cocoon  of  hair  and  silk.  I  do  not 
know  that  there  is  anything  venerable  about  this  insect,  to 
explain  the  Latin  name,  but  the  undulating  flight  of  the  moth 
accounts  for  the  English  one.  The  caterpillars  have  tufts  of 
yellow  and  black  hairs',  two  of  them  pointing  over  the  head. 
Part  of  the  brood  come  out  at  the  opening  of  the  buds,  others 
emerge  in  succession,  some  not  hatching  till  new  moths. 
Early  moths  sometimes,  though  not  always,  produce  early 
caterpillars. _  It  is  so  in  this  geiims  Hybernia,  which  contains 
several  species  of  great  abundance.  One  of  these  has  a  handsome 
caterpillar.  This  is  the  mottled  umber,  very  aptly  called 
H.  defoliaria.  They  grow  slowly  at  first,  but  soon  get  large  enough 
to  make  a  display  in  copses  and  shrubberies,  where  they  are  not 
disturbed.  It  is  funny  to  see  them  dangling  by  hundreds  in  the 
spring  breeze,  the  threads,  possibly,  2ft  long,  but  they  do  not 
drop,  being  able,  as  a  rule,  to  wind  themselves  up  again. 
Where  the  winter  moth  (Cheimatobia  brumata)  has  escaped 
the  perils  of  its  mature  life,  it  lays  patches  of  eggs  towards  the 
end  of  the  year  in  crevices  of  the  bark ;  these  are  green,  but  turn 
brown.  Not  without  risk  the  tiny,  newly-hatched  caterpillars 
travel  to  the  nearest  buds  towards  the  end'cf  March,  and  within 
them,  till  expanding,  they  lie  hidden.  Afterwards  they  feed 
exposed,  drawing  the  leaves  together  in  the  well-known  style. 
Early  in  April  the  stumpy,  reddish  caterpillar  of  the  green  pug 
(Eupithecia  togata)  is  attacking  the  flowers  of  Apple  and  Pear, 
joining  with  the  abundant  Apple  weevil  in  distorting  the  bloom, 
and  causing  it  to  drop.  Yet  we  slaughter  the  little  birds  which 
destroy  these  pests. — Entomologist. 
Novelties  and  Rarities. 
Impatiens  Oliver!  (Kirk,  1903,  British  Central  Africa)  may 
now  be  seen  in  flower  at  one  end  of  the  central  gtage  of  the 
Begonia  house,  Kew.  The  species,  new  to  cultivation,  bears 
the  Balsam  character  (the  latter  belonging  to  the  same  genus), 
with  succulent,  upright  stems,  lanceolate  leaves,  with  minutely 
serrated  edges,  borne  in  whorls  of  about  seven.  The  serrations 
form  tiny  glands  that  give  off  a  viscid  fluid.  The  rounded  corollas 
of  the  flowers  are  l^in  wide  and  coloured  deep  Apple-blossom 
pink — very  beautiful.  Only  a  few  fl.owers  are  open  at  one  time, 
but  they  are  very  attractive.  One  of  the  sepals  forms  a  long  spur. 
PORPHYROCOMA  LANCEOLATA. 
This  acanthaceous  intermediate-hou-se  plant  is  one  of  the  most 
distinctive  now  flowering  in  the  T-range  at  Kew.  Picture  a 
Justicia  1ft  high  in  a  Sin  pot,  with  dull  reddish  bracts  and  two¬ 
lipped,  tubular  purple  flowers  (almost  identically  like  those  of 
Peristrophe  speciosa),  protruding  out  from  the  spike.  The  erect 
red  bracts  and  purple  flowers  form  a  novel  but  beautiful  contrast. 
Clerodendron  Myrmecophilum. 
A  good  popular  description  of  this  showy  species,  which  is  now 
flowering  in  the  stove  at  Kew,  would  be  to  liken  the  inflorescence 
to  that  of  C.  fallax  with  bronzy-yellow  instead  of  crimson  flowers. 
In  the  bud  state  the  flowers  are  coloured  reddish-orange.  The 
foliage  is  oval-elliptic,  smooth,  and  metallic-grey. 
Philodendron  scandens. 
This  plant  seems  to  have  unlimited  growth,  for  shoots  may  be 
measured  in  the  Aroid  house  at  Kew,  quite  40ft  in  length. 
Possibly  it  may  depend  on  its  freely  produced  aerial  roots,  which 
are  emitted  in  bunches  from  each  node  (the  node^s  are- generally 
only  4in  apart),  and  the  stem  may  have  died  away  from  the  parent 
rootstock  in  the  soil.  Some  of  the  Philodendrons  do  this.  The 
genus  is  one  of  the  most  varied  of  the  Aracese  (Aroids),  and  great 
variety  of  form  is  noticeable  in  the  habit  of  the  plants  and  their 
leaves.  P.  scanden§  is  suitable  for  training  to  pillars,  and  the 
growths  may  be  continued  along  the  horizontal  supports  of  large 
heated  conservatories  or  winter  gardens,  and  be  allowed  to  hang 
from  them.  With  shining  heart-shaped  foliage  of  a  size  Gin  long 
by  J^in  broad,  on  alternate  sides  of  the  polished,  round  green 
stems,  they  furnish  a  pleasing  and  ornamental  feature  of  a  large 
plant  ho'use.  The  culture  is  of  the  simplest,  heat  and  moisture 
being  the  chief  essentials. 
