I have
my doubts. With moths that have been sheltered and not even
touched by a breath of wind, this spray is thrown very frequently
before the moth is entirely dry, long before it is able to fly
and before the ovipositor is thrust out. According to my sense of
smell there is very little odour to the spray and what there is
would be dissipated hours before night and time for the moths to
fly and seek mates. I do not think that the spray thrown so soon
after escape from cocoon or case is to attract the sexes, any farther
than that much of it in one place on something that it would saturate
might leave a general `mothy' odour. Some lepidopterists think this
spray a means of defence; if this is true I fail to see why it should
be thrown when there is nothing disturbing the moth.
Many of the spinning moths use leaves for their outer foundation.
Some appear as if snugly rolled in a leaf and hanging from a twig,
but examination will prove that the stem is silk covered to hold
the case when the leaf loosens.
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