Puss Moth
(Dicranura vinula). This moth is of interest to gardeners, because the larvae feed on leaves of Willows and of Poplars, and, at times, do damage to those trees. The moths reach 2 1/2in. or 3in. in spread of wing, and have large, heavy bodies. Body and wings are grey, with many darker markings. Those on the front wings are as follows: Near the base of the wing are five or six black spots; then follows a broad, grey cross-band; the middle of the wings is less marked, but the hinder part bears about nine long, dark streaks running inwards, and a number of V-shaped, dark lines, with the tip pointed inwards. The antennae are feathered in both sexes. The larvae are very curious in form; the head is flat, and is drawn back into the second segment, on which the body rises to a sharp hump, then it sinks to the sixth, then is of uniform breadth to the ninth, and behind this it tapers rapidly to the last segment, which ends in two long, slender, curved horns, from each of which a pink filament can be pushed out by the larva when irritated. This latter is used for driving away ichneumons and other parasites. The horns are believed to be the last pair of prolegs modified. There are four pairs of prolegs used for grasping, and the larvae generally hold on by them, keeping the ends of the body raised from the twig or leaf to which they cling. In colour, they are remarkable, though by no means conspicuous while on the trees. There is a white line along each side, from the back of the head to the tip of the hump, thence passing obliquely to the middle of each side of the eighth segment, and then again rising to the bases of the horns. Between the white lines the back is white, streaked with purple-brown. This latter colour is deepest near the lines. Below them the body is green, with a purple mark above the proleg on each side of the eighth segment. The head is brown, with black sides, and when drawn back is surrounded with a pink rim, with two black spots. When full-fed, the larvae gnaw holes in the bark, in which they form very tough, strong cocoons, of chips and a gluey secretion emitted by themselves, and in these cocoons they become brown pupae in autumn. The moths emerge in June. There are two or three smaller species of the same genus, which are much like the Puss Moth in appearance and in habits, and, because of this and of their smaller size, are called Kittens. Of these, the Poplar Kitten (D. bifida) feeds on Aspen and other Poplars, the Sallow Kitten (D. furcula) on Willows, and the Alder Kitten (D. bicuspis) on Alder. They are seldom so hurtful as to attract observation. Remedies. If at any time any of the above are sufficiently numerous to be hurtful, the only efficient remedy is hand-picking the larvae, or beating them from the branches. The cocoons should be sought for, and the pupae destroyed; and the moths should be killed when seen.