The caterpillar of this moth is quite as woolly as that of the “garden tiger.” It is almost black in colour, with a red head and red legs, while the long hairs which cover its body are brown. It feeds upon chickweed in September, and again in April and May, and then spins a silken web, in which it turns to a chrysalis. The moth makes its appearance about the end of June.
1. Gold-Tail2. Gold-Tail Caterpillar
3. Pale Tussock4. Pale Tussock Caterpillar
PLATE XXX
THE GOLD-TAIL (1 and 2)
Of course you know this pretty insect very well indeed by sight, for it is one of the commonest of all our British moths. You cannot possibly mistake it for any other, because of its snowy white wings and the thick tuft of long yellow hairs at the end of its body, from which it gets its name of “Gold-tail.” In the female moth this tuft is very long and thick indeed, and she puts it to a most curious purpose. For when she has laid her eggs she strips off the golden down from her tail and covers them carefully over with it, leaving the tip of her body almost bare!
The caterpillars which hatch out of the eggs are most beautiful little creatures. They are black in colour, with three rows of tiny pimples, so to speak, on each side, from every one of which springs a little tuft of hairs. Those of the upper row are jetty-black; those of the middle row are white; and those of the lower one are bright scarlet. Besides this, there are two scarlet stripes running down the back, and just behind the head is a sort of hump, which is bright scarlet also.
You may find these handsome caterpillars on the leaves of hawthorn, and also on those of plum trees. When they are fully fed they spin a silken web among the leaves, and turn to chrysalids, out of which the moths hatch in July.