(_Sword-Grass Moth._)
This moth is an English species. It measures in
expanse between two and three inches, and is of a
soft violet grey tinge, the fore-wings having a variety
of brown markings. The caterpillar feeds on the
Euphorbia, and has been found gregariously with the
Tithymali on that plant. It is met with, however, on
peas and potatoes, and can be reared on the leaves of
any of these plants. The larva is bright green, with
two lines of black and white spots down each side of the
back. These are bordered by a yellow stripe (sometimes,
however, absent), and it has a broken red line on each
side. The caterpillar attains a length of about three
inches. Some were kept in the same breeding cage with
the Tithymali, but their habits were entirely different.
When the Exoleta caterpillar ceased to feed, it did not
immediately attain the pupa state, but was restless and
lively, remaining as a caterpillar from six to eight weeks,
gradually shrinking and losing its colour, until it turned
to the pupa. It made a fragile shell of fine earth, oval
in form, and buried itself a short distance under the
surface. Full-sized caterpillars, taken on the 20th of
March, ceased feeding and turned to the pupa state
from the 1st to the 20th of May, emerging to the moth
on the 15th of June. In some specimens the process
of turning to the pupa took place on the journey to
England in a box, the caterpillars being covered lightly
with cotton-wool.