442 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Dec., '10 



the sturdier grew the caterpillars, in doors! The two weeks 

 before the destructive sleet, snow and frost, had, however, 

 given them strength to meet the cold that wilted the foliage 

 of every tree and shrub. 



It is hardly possible that the eggs of ilia in the woods did 

 not hatch until the wintry winds had ceased to blow, about the 

 26th of April, but illecta larvae were past the second moult by 

 the 5th of April out on the honey locust sprouts, and on the 

 2Oth were found the first innubens larva, half grown. 



April ist a chrysalid of Smerinthus cerisyi (ophthalmicus) 

 from E. A. Dodge gave a fine male imago, later two other 

 males, and unfortunately, a deformed female. 



The first find of illecta larvae was on the 6th of April, 17 

 of them and one was half grown (past 3d moult). The last, 

 nine in number, were found on the 3Oth. The first illecta 

 caterpillar began spinning on the I5th of April. 



The record for April i7th reads, "Ice last night. Cold west 

 wind with gusts of driving snow. Found 26 larvae of C. illecta, 

 chilled and half frozen, the snow beating me in the face as I 

 searched for the little "Cato-worms." 



The snow continued through the i8th and iQth and the 

 young foliage of the forest was frozen stiff by the morning of 

 the 23d. Still the illecta larvae lived out of doors. The morn- 

 ing of the 24th with two inches of snow settled the fate of 

 the fruit and must have played havoc with larvae for I found 

 exposed caterpillars of illecta and innubens frozen stiff and 

 dead but I found others alive later on. It is surprising how 

 much cold these tender, unprotected creatures can stand ! 



The young larvae of Catocala ilia have small black heads, 

 are gray and with lateral round black spots. At ten days of 

 age, the larva is over half an inch long, lighter gray with 

 four large lateral black spots to each side. The little tubercles 

 are black. 



Remembering his experience with ilia larvae the year be- 

 fore, the senior author placed small bur oak twigs or branches 

 in the breeding jars and the larvae appeared tame, as they 



