Genus Basilarchia 



The caterpillars feed upon the leaves of various species of oak, 

 birch, willow, and linden. The eggs are laid upon the extreme 

 tip of the leaves, and the infant caterpillar, feeding upon the leaf 

 in immediate proximity to the point where it has been hatched, 

 attaches bits of bitten leaf by strands of silk 

 to the midrib, thus stiffening its perch and ^ / f 

 preventing its curling as the rib dries. Out 

 of bits of leaves thus detached it constructs a FlG I07 . _ Leaf cut 

 packet of material, which it moves forward away at end by cater- 



, ., , ., ., i i , i . pillar of Basilarchia (Ri- 



along the midrib until it has completed its f ey) 

 second moult. By this time winter begins 

 to come on, and it cuts away for itself the material of the leaf 

 on either side of the rib, from the tip toward the base, glues 

 the rib of the leaf to the stem by means of silk, draws together 



the edges of the remaining portions of 

 the leaf, and constructs a tube-like hiber- 

 naculum, or winter quarters, exactly 

 fitting the body, in which it passes the 



FIG. 108. Hibernaculum, or Winter. 

 winter quarters, of larva of Ba- There are a number of species of the 



genus found in the United States, the 



habits of which have been carefully studied, and they are among 

 our most interesting butterflies, several species being mimics of 

 protected species. 



(i) Basilarchia astyanax, Fabricius, Plate XXII, Fig. i, $ ; 

 Plate III, Figs. 17, 21, 25, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 12, 13, chrysalis 

 (The Red-spotted Purple). 



Butterfly. This common but most beautiful species is suffi- 

 ciently characterized by the plate so far as the upper surface is 

 concerned. On the under side the wings are brownish, banded 

 with black on the margins; the lunules are on this side as above, 

 but the inner band of spots is red. There are two red spots at 

 the base of the fore wings, and four at the base of the hind wings. 

 The palpi are white below, and the abdomen is marked with a 

 lateral white line on each side. Expanse, 3.00-3.25 inches. 



Egg. The egg, which resembles somewhat closely that of 

 B. disippus (see p. 3, Fig. i), is yellowish-green, gradually turn- 

 ing dark brown as the time for the emergence of the caterpillar 

 approaches. 



Caterpillar. -The caterpillar is so well delineated in Plate III, 



183 



