118 



feathery feelers or antenna. The Cecropia moth emerges from the 

 cocoon, full grown, in early summer when out of doors. Those kept 

 in the house often come out as early as March. The eggs are 

 deposited by adults upon apple, pear, cherry, maple and other shade 

 and fruit trees. Professor Comstock says that the spiny caterpillars 

 which hatch from the eggs in about two weeks, are known to feed 

 upon the leaves of some fifty species of plants. One could tliere- 

 fore hardly make a mistake in offering refreshment to these crea- 

 tures, since they are anything but epicures. The full-grown cater- 

 pillar, having spent the summer eating and growing, with now and 

 tiien a change of clothes, is often three inches long and an inch in 

 diameter. It is a dull bluish-green in color. 

 On his back are two rows of wart-like pro- 

 tuberances (tubercles), some yellow, some red, 

 some blue. As there is nothing else in nature 

 which is just like it, one need have no difficulty in 

 recognizing the Cecropia in its different phases. 



The cocoon wdiich this eiiant silk worm 

 weaves is shown in Fig. 77. It may be found 

 on a twig in some tree in the dooryard, but 

 sometimes on a fence-post or equally unexpected 

 place. Inside the cocoon the brow^n pupa, 

 alive but helpless, waits for spring. 



After the moth comes out, it is interesting to examine the struc- 

 ture of the cocoon, and to discover how the moth managed to free 

 itself without destroying the silken blanket (see Fig. 78). 



78. — End of cocoon of 

 Cecropia, inside 

 vieiD, showing where 

 the moth gets out. 



* -x- 



% 



Swinging loosely from last summer's twigs in lilac bushes, and on 

 such trees as wild cherry and ash, one often finds the slender 

 cocoons of the Prometheamoth (Fig. 78). We cannot help admir- 

 ing the skill and care displayed by the spinner of this tidy winter 

 overcoat. The giant silk w^orm which spun it chose a leaf as a 

 foundation. He took care to secure himself against the danger 

 of falling, by fastening the leaf to the twig which bore it by means 

 of shining strands of silk. It is easy to test the strength of this 

 fastening by attempting to pull it loose from the twig. 



510 



