THE BUTTERFLIES AXD MOTHS 



213 



alternating with seven darker, almost blackish 

 lines, with two prominent black horns on the 

 thorax and a double row of short, thick spines 

 along either side of the body. The moths are 

 pale yellow banded with rose color, and are fre- 

 quently taken at lights. Nearly related species, 

 whose larvae are brownish with orange markings 

 and similar black spines, attack the oak foliage. 

 The lo moth (Automcris io} is one of the larger 

 forms, with a wing expanse of nearly three 

 inches, the fore-wings of the males being a 

 brilliant yellow color and those of the female a 

 dark purplish, both having a large eyespot on the 

 center of the hind-wings. The full-grown larva 

 is about two inches long, yellowish-green, with a 

 broad brown or reddish stripe, edged with white, 

 along either side, thickly covered with black- 

 tipped, branched spines which are decidedly 

 FIG. 336. The green- p O i sonous> The polyphemus moth (Telea poly- 



striped maple-worm . . , 



(Anisota rubicunda) pkemus) is one of our largest and handsomest 



species, expanding from four to five inches. 

 It is of a yellowish or brownish color, with a dusky band, 

 edged without with pink along the margins of both wings, and 

 with a prominent eyespot at the middle of each wing, those on 

 the hind-wings 

 being bordered 

 by a large bluish 

 patch. The lar- 

 vae feed on oak 

 and various fruit 

 and shade trees ; 

 they are three 



J 



inches or more 

 length, of 



in 



a bright 



green 



color, with an 

 oblique yellow 

 line on the side 



FIG. 337. The Io moth, female. (Natural size) 

 (After Lugger) 



