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Forthconing Meetings (cont,)
Date Interest Meeting Leader.
19.Mar.75 Manna, A Bat in your Attic V. Veal
5.Apr,75 General Club A.G.M. The President
More about Moths.
The larvae of Lepidoptera, particularly Moths, are some-
times most striking in appearance, and accordingly not well
camouflaged. During last summer, I was starled to find on
the deep red leaves of an ornamental Maple tree in the garden,
what at first sight looked to be yellow flowers. In fact
they were 2" long caterpillars, which tended to curl up
whilst not eating. On the entire tree there were only 6
to be found, but even that number was surprising in view of
the very brilliant contrast they made with the leaves.
Knowing almost nothing about Lepidopteran larvae, I hoped
rather irrationally that these might turn out to be an
exotic species, since they had a distinctly Oriental
appearance, not unlike an elaborate Chines dragon. The
body was covered with very numerous long yellow bristles,
with clumps of red ones at intervals. There were white
diamond shaped marks along the grey body. Since no
reference book could help me identify them with certainty,
I enquired of the Natural History Museum, Kensington. Mr
D.J. Carter of the Entomology Department, identified my
larvae as being of the Sycamore moth (Acronicta aceris).
So much for my exotic specimen. I looked forward eagerly
to the pupation and ultimate metamorphosis of my
caterpillars, which were quite a talking point by now, but
it was not to be. By the end of the month they had all
disappeared. There were no replacement this year, but
I shall continue to examine my Maple, or any trees of the
genus Acer in the hope of finding these beautiful
caterpillars again.
V.J.Smith.