276 THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



no prolegs on the fifth abdominal segment. The pupa state 

 is passed below the surface of the ground in a simple earthen 

 cell, which is lined with very few silken threads. The adult 

 moths usually emerge early in the spring before the leaves 

 expand ; but they sometimes appear late in the fall, or on 

 warm days during the winter when the ground is thawed. 

 In both sexes the adult of this species is distinguished by 

 the presence of two transverse rows of stiff reddish spines, 

 pointing backwards, on each of the first seven abdominal seg- 

 ments. In the male the venation of the wings very closely 

 resembles that of BrepJios (Fig. 324); veins II and III of the 

 hind wings although closely approximate do not coalesce, 

 and veins III and V, coalesce for a considerable distance be- 

 yond the apex of the discal cell. 



The Fall Canker-worm, Alsophila pometaria (Al-soph'i-la 

 pom-e-ta'ri-a). The eggs appear as if cut off at the top. and 

 have a central puncture and a brown circle near the border 

 of the disk. They are laid side by side in regular rows and 

 compact batches, and are generally exposed. They hatch 

 in the spring at the time the leaves appear ; and the larvae 

 mature in about three weeks. The larva is of a pale brown- 

 ish color marked with dark brown and yellow ; the body is 

 marked on the back with six broad and very distinct pale 

 lines, those of each side equidistant ; and there is a pair of 

 distinct prolegs on the fifth abdominal segment. As in the 

 preceding species the pupa state is passed beneath the 

 ground, but this species makes a perfect cocoon of fine 



densely spun silk. The adult moth 

 usually emerges in the fall, generally 

 beginning about the middle or latter 

 part of October ; although a con- 

 siderable number come out of the 

 earth in the winter during warm 

 weather and in the spring. The 



FIG. 326. Alsjfftila pometaria., r 



male. moths of both sexes lack the ab- 



dominal spines characteristic of the Spring Canker-worm. 



