MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



447 



FIG. 565. Rheumaptera hastata. 



outer margin, and also three; interrupted brown lines at nearly equal distances apart. 

 There is also an oblique black dash near the apex, and a fine black line along the base 

 of the fringes. The hind wings are pale ash-colored, with a dark dot in the middle. 

 The female is pale gray, about a third of an inch long, with a stout body and a retrac- 

 tile ovipositor. The abdominal segments of both sexes have two transverse rows of 

 small reddish spines, and the antennas are ciliated. Both species feed on the leaves of 

 apple, plum, cherry, elm, linden, and many other 

 trees. They are found in greater or less abund- 

 ance from Maine to Texas. 



Rhewnaptera hastata is a widely distributed 

 species, occurring throughout the northern and 

 central portions of North America, Europe, and 

 Siberia. The wings expand nearly an inch and a 

 half, and are black, with two white bands across 

 them, one before the middle the other a little be- 

 yond ; and besides these there are often a few quite 

 irregular white lines on the remaining portions. 

 The hind wings are entirely black, or with more 

 or less conspicuous white bands across them, cor- 

 responding to those on the fore wings. The body 

 is black, with slender white lines on the edges of 

 the segments of the abdomen. This moth is sub- 

 ject to great variation in the amount of white on the wings. The caterpillar is brown, 

 or blackish brown, with a darker line along the middle of the back, and a row of horse- 

 shoe-shaped spots on the sides. This species is gregarious, and feeds on the leaves of 

 birch and sweet-gale. 



The large magpie moth {Abraxas grossulariata) is widely distributed through 

 Europe and Northern Asia, and is generally very abundant. The wings, which expand 



an inch and a half, or more, are white, 

 with numerous black spots, placed in 

 transverse rows, five on the fore and 

 three on the hind wings. The fore 

 wings are also ornamented with an 

 orange blotch at the base, and a band 

 of the same color beyond the middle, 

 between the third and fourth rows of 

 black spots. The caterpillar is creamy 

 white, with numerous black spots, two 

 or three of which, on the top of each 

 segment, are large and conspicuous. 

 A fine reddish orange line runs along 

 the side near the spiracles. This spe- 

 cies feeds on currant, gooseberry, 

 hazel, etc. The caterpillars hibernate when quite small, passing the winter without 

 feeding. In the spring they revive, feed again until they reach maturity, when they 

 pupate ; and the moths emerge in July or August, the sexes pair, and the females lay 

 their eggs for another generation. 



The family of moths known as NOCTTJID^B contains a larger number of species than 



FIG. 566. Abraxas grossulariata. 



