MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



463 



and, when at rest, they throw the hind segments of the body forward over those in 

 front, making a curious sort of a loop. 



The mature caterpillars are about an inch and a half in length, tapering slightly 

 towards the head and becoming thickened towards the posterior extremity. The head 

 is orange, dotted with black, and the body is pale bluish, crossed by bands of orange 

 and many tine black lines. These caterpillars much resemble those of Alypia octo- 

 maculata, but may be distinguished by having only six 

 transverse black lines on each segment, while Alypia has 

 eight. When the caterpillars have reached maturity, they 

 descend into the ground, and transform into dark-brown 

 pupae. This species feeds upon the leaves of grape, Vir- 

 ginia creeper, and occasionally upon the hop. 



The eight-spotted forester (Alypia octomaculata) is 

 quite widely distributed in this country, and in many places 

 is quite a common species. This moth expands about an 

 inch and a quarter, and is of a deep bluish-black color, with 

 two large pale-yellow spots on each fore wing, and two 

 white spots on each of the hind wings. The shoulder 



j. 



covers are yellow, and the legs are marked with orange. 



The full-grown caterpillar, which is a little over an inch long, has a bluish tinge, owing, 

 however, to an optical phenomenon, from the contrast of the white with the transverse 

 black lines. The young caterpillar is paler, and has less distinct markings. It feeds 

 on the under side of the leaves, and lets itself down by a thread of silk when disturbed ; 

 but, after the danger has passed, it ascends again by the same means. When mature, 

 the caterpillar descends to the ground, and changes to a pupa in an earthen cell, which 

 it forms near the surface of the ground. There are two broods of this insect in a 

 year, though, perhaps, only one in the more northern limits of its distribution. It 

 feeds upon the leaves of the grape. 



The yEaEKiiD^E are insects of rather small size which fly in the hot sunshine, and 

 somewhat resemble the wasps while on the wing. They have spindle-shaped antennae, 

 terminated by a small silky tuft. The palpi are stout, curved up in front of the head, 

 the third joint being slim and naked. The legs are stout, and covered with scales or 

 hairs ; and the fore tibias have one spur (tibial epiphysis), the middle tibia?, a pair of 

 unequal spurs at the end ; and the hind tibiae, two pairs, one at the end and one in the 

 middle. At the end of the abdomen is a fan-like tuft of scales ; and the long narrow 

 wings are covered with scales in some species, but in others they are transparent, 

 except on the veins, along the margins, and a band across the fore wings at the end of 

 the cell. The caterpillars, which are whitish, with dark-colored heads and a few scat- 

 tered hairs over their bodies, are borers in the stems of trees and shrubs ; and, when 

 present in large numbers, they destroy the life of the plants which they have attacked. 

 These beautiful little moths are lovely objects as they rest upon the surface of 

 plants, the bright sun reflecting the light from their metallic-blue colors, which con- 

 trast with their gay markings of crimson, orange, or white. Not far from two hun- 

 dred and fifty species have already been described. 



The peach-tree borer (Sannina exitiosa] is an insect far too common in the peach- 

 growing regions of this country. Its wings expand about an inch, though they vary 

 much in size. The head, thorax, and abdomen are of a steel-blue color, with various 

 yellow markings. The wings are glassy and transparent, with the veins, margins, and 



