You cannot possibly fail to recognise this moth if you meet with it, for its front wings are of a light pearly-grey colour, with a number of black markings upon them, several of which look just like little daggers laid sideways. It is a very common insect indeed, and all through June and July you may see it resting on fences, and walls, and tree-trunks. A little later you may find the caterpillar, which is quite as easy to recognise as the moth. It has a rather hairy body, a black head with two yellow stripes upon it, and a black body, with a broad yellow streak along the back, and a number of small red streaks on each side, which are curved in the shape of a bow. Besides this, it has two humps on its back, the front one of which is black, while the hinder one is yellow; so that altogether it is a very odd-looking creature indeed. It feeds on the leaves of beech, lime, poplar, hawthorn, pear, and ever so many other trees, and is fully fed about the middle of September, when it creeps into some cranny in the bark, spins a strong silken cocoon, and turns into a chrysalis. [Illustration: PLATE XLV 1. Large Yellow Underwing 2. Red Underwing] PLATE XLV THE LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING (1) There are several different kinds of Yellow Underwing moths, but this is by far the commonest of them all. It makes its appearance in June and July, and although it only flies by night you can easily find it during the day. All that you have to do is to go to a strawberry bed, and brush about among the leaves of the plants. Before long you are quite sure to see one of these moths running quickly about like a mouse in search of a fresh hiding-place. And, if you try to catch it, it will take to its wings, fly for a few yards, and then again settle down to seek some place of concealment among the herbage. The caterpillars of this moth are very mischievous creatures, for they eat their way right into the hearts of cabbage and lettuce plants, and quite spoil them for the table. And as they only feed by night, and hide away beneath the surface of the ground by day, it is not at all easy to catch them. They vary a good deal in colour. Indeed, you may find them of almost any shade, from light yellowish-green to dark brown. But along the back there is always a yellow stripe, with a dark line on each side of it, while on the sides there is a row of seven or eight short black streaks. You may find these caterpillars from March till the beginning of June. PLATE XLV THE RED UNDERWING (2)