WILD SILKWORMS. 



8 9 



golden spots, which glitter most brilliantly when the sun shines 

 upon it. This insect has been reared in America on an extensive 

 scale. One experimenter who had devoted five acres of young 

 oak trees to the cultivation reports that on his rearing-ground, 



Fig. 30. Caterpillar of Telca Polyphemus. 



" not less than one million could be seen feeding in the open air 

 upon bushes covered with a net." It has also been reared in 

 England. The moths appear in May and June, and proceed to 

 lay their eggs on the under side of the leaves. The cocoon 

 (Fig. 31) is not formed till late in September, so that the insect, 

 unlike the common silkworm, passes the winter in the pupa 

 instead of the egg state. In the figure it is shown enveloped in the 



Fig. 32. Pupa of Telca Polyphemus. 



Fig. 31. Cocoon of Telea Polyphemus. 



leaves of the food-plant. The chrysalis is shown at Fig. 32 ; its 

 most noteworthy features are its dumpy shape, and the large size 

 of the antennae cases, the usual characteristics of this group of 

 moths. It thrives well, not only on oak, but on several other 

 trees also, such as nut, birch, and willow. It produces a valuable 

 white silk. 



