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After the day’s work comes their dinner. The caterpillars come down from the nest and begin eating on the pine-needles below. It is a magnificent sight to see the redcoated band lined up in twos and threes on each needle and in ranks so closely formed that the green sprigs of the branch bend under the load. The diners, all motionless, all poking their heads forward, nibble slowly in silence. Their black foreheads gleam in the rays of my lantern. They eat far into the night. Then they go back to the nest, where for a little longer they continue spinning on the surface. It is one or two o’clock in the morning when the last of the band goes indoors.
一天的工作之后，它們吃晚飯。毛毛蟲從巢里下來，開始在下面的松針上吃東西。這是一個宏偉的景象，看到紅色涂層的帶子在每根針上排成三三兩兩，排列得如此緊密，以至于樹枝上的綠色小枝在負載下彎曲。所有的用餐者都一動不動，都把頭伸出來，默默地慢慢吃著。它們黑色的額頭在我的提燈的光線下閃閃發光。一直吃到深夜。然后它們回到巢穴，在那里繼續在水面上旋轉一段時間。隊伍的最后一個成員在凌晨一兩點鐘回家。
To guide them as they wander about their tree, the caterpillars have their silk ribbon, formed by threads from their mouths. They follow this on their return to the nest. Sometimes they miss it and strike the ribbon made by another band of caterpillars. They follow it and reach a strange dwelling. No matter! There is not the least quarreling between the owners and the new arrivals. And all, when bedtime comes, start for the nest, like brothers who have always lived together.
為了方便在樹上漫步，毛毛蟲用嘴里的絲線織成了絲帶。它們在返回巢穴時也會這樣做。有時它們走錯了，會撞上另一群毛毛蟲織成的絲帶。它們跟著它，來到一個奇怪的住所。沒有關系！屋主和新來的屋主之間沒有一點爭吵。所有的蟲在睡覺的時候，都會歸巢，像兄弟一樣總是住在一起。
