. Insect architecture. Insects. 192 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. A wood-boring caterpillar, of a species of moth much rarer than the preceding (JEgeria asiliformis, Stephens), exhibits great ingenuity in construct- ing a cell for its metamorphosis. We observed above a dozen of them during this summer (1829) in the trunk of a poplar, one side of which had been stripped of its bark. It was this portion of the trunk which all the caterpillars selected for their final retreat, not one having been observed where the tree was covered with bark. The inge- nuity of the little architect consisted in scooping i
. Insect architecture. Insects. 192 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. A wood-boring caterpillar, of a species of moth much rarer than the preceding (JEgeria asiliformis, Stephens), exhibits great ingenuity in construct- ing a cell for its metamorphosis. We observed above a dozen of them during this summer (1829) in the trunk of a poplar, one side of which had been stripped of its bark. It was this portion of the trunk which all the caterpillars selected for their final retreat, not one having been observed where the tree was covered with bark. The inge- nuity of the little architect consisted in scooping its cell almost to the very surface of the wood, leaving only an exterior covering of unbroken wood, as thin as writing paper. Previous, therefore, to the chry- salis making its way through this feeble barrier, it could not have been suspected that an insect was lodged under the smooth wood. We observed more than one of these in the act of breaking through this covering, within which there is besides a round move- able lid of a sort of brown wax*. Another architect caterpillar, frequently to be met with in July on the leaves of the willow and the poplar, is, in the fly state, called the Puss-Moth (Centra vimda). The caterpillar is produced from brown-coloured shining eggs, about the size of a pin's head, which are deposited—one, two, or more together—on the upper surface of a leaf. In the course of six or eight weeks (during which time it casts its skin thrice) it arrives at its full. Eggs of the Puss-Moth, * J, Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Rennie, James, 1787-1867. London, M. A. Nattali
Size: 2450px × 1020px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1846
