212 AGRICUIvTURE: OF MAINE). 



10 MOTH. 



The io moth, Automeris io, is common throughout the State. 

 Numerous letters have been received regarding the caterpillars 

 of this moth. 



When full grown it measures about two and one-half inches 

 in length. It is of a light pea-green color and has a lateral 

 brown band about one-sixteenth of an inch wide bordered with 

 white on its lower edge. The white stomata or breathing pores 

 are situated in this band. Each segment has several tufts of 

 green branching spines tipped with black. 



Plate IV, Fig. 6 gives a life size illustration of this caterpillar 

 showing the cluster of nettling spines. A sharp stinging sensa- 

 tion is felt if by accident the hand is brought in contact with 

 these spines ; this is followed by more or less of an inflammation 

 which is rather annoying in some cases. The different stages 

 of the moth are shown on Plate IV, Fig. 7. The eggs are laid 

 in clusters on the under side of the food plant, soon after the 

 moth emerges in June. The caterpillars are gregarious in their 

 habits, feeding together in the colony until about the last moult, 

 when they become scattered, and after reaching maturity crawl 

 to the ground and spin a thin papery-like cocoon hidden away 

 among the grass and leaves. The cocoon is shown in the left- 

 hand lower corner; the pupa in the upper right hand. The 

 female moth, in the upper left corner, is usually much larger 

 than the male, in the lower right, and is of a rich dark-red color 

 with light markings on the fore wings. The hind wings have 

 the large dark purple eye-spot with a white line centre as a 

 characteristic mark of the species. The male is of a rich yellow 

 color but the markings are so similar to the female, especially 

 the posterior wings that it can be easily recognized as belonging 

 to the same species. 



The caterpillar is a general feeder and is found on our fruit 

 trees and many of the hard woods. I have taken it on alder, 

 ash, balm-of-Gilead, birch, choke cherry, oak, sweet fern and 

 willow. 



