A few words would have saved the complete history of a beautiful
moth, to secure which no second opportunity was presented for five
years.
Several works I consulted united in the simple statement that
certain caterpillars pupate in the ground.
In Packard's "Guide", you will find this--"Lepidopterous pupae should
be...kept moist in mould until the image appears." I followed this
direction, even taking the precaution to bake the earth used,
because I was very anxious about some rare moths.
When they failed to emerge in season I dug them out, only to find
that those not moulded had been held fast by the damp, packed
earth, and all were ruined. I learned by investigation that
pupation takes place in a hole worked out by the caterpillar, so
earth must touch these cases only as they lie upon it. The one
word 'hole' would have saved all those moths for me.
One writer stated that the tongue cases of some pupae turn over
and fasten on the back between the wing shields, and others were
strangely silent on the subject.
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