344 Handbook of Nature-Study 



LESSON LXXV 

 THE HUMMING-BIRD, OR SPHINX, MOTHS 



Leading thought The sphinx caterpillars have a slender horn or eye- 

 spot on the last segment of the body. When disturbed or when resting 

 they rear the front part of the body in a threatening attitude. They spin 

 no cocoons but change to pupae in the ground. The adults are called 

 humming-bird moths, because of their swift and purring flight. Many 

 flowers depend upon the sphinx moths for carrying their pollen. 



Method The sphinx caterpillar found on the potato or tobacco, or 

 one of the species feeding upon the Virginia creeper is in September 

 available in almost any locality for this lesson. The caterpillars should 

 be placed in a breeding cage in the schoolroom. Fresh food should be 

 given them every day and moist earth be placed in the bottom of the 

 cages. It is useless for the amateur to try to rear the adults from the 

 pupae in breeding cages. The moths may be caught in nets during the 

 evening when they are hovering over the petunia beds. These may be 

 placed on leaves in a tumbler or jar for observation. 



The Caterpillar 



Observations i. On what plant is it feeding? What is its general 

 color? Is it striped? What colors in the stripes? Are they oblique or 

 lengthwise stripes? Are all the caterpillars the same color? 



The pupae of the Alyron sphinx within 



the cocoons. 

 Photo by M. V. Slingerland. 



