158 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN, 



THE ACHEMON SPHINX MOTH. 



(Pholii.s uvhemon (Drury) (Family 8phiugidBe). 



( I'll Horn pel 11 )i achcmon Drury.) 



(Fig. 139.) 



General Appearance. — The aclvilt moth is of a brownish-gray color 

 with light and dark variegations and well defined dark brown spots. 

 The hind wangs are rich pink with brown border and dark spots. The 

 body is reddish gray with two deep brown triangular spots on the 

 thorax. The expanded wings measure easily four inches across. The 

 larva or caterpillar is first green, changing to reddish-brown as it 

 grows older. The dorsum is brown with from six to eight whitish, 

 oblique bars along the sides. The pupse are rich brown. 



Fig. 139. — Tlie Acliemon spliinx, Pholus achemon (Drury). (After 



Riley.) 



Life History. — The eggs are green and round. The winters are 

 passed in the chrysalis stage, the adults emerging about the time the 

 foliage appears upon the gravepines. The eggs are glued to the leaves 

 and hatch in a comparatively short time into small green caterpillars. 

 These are ravenous feeders, grow very rapidly and do much damage 

 to the foliage of the vines. In about one month they are full grown 

 and go into the ground to pass the winter in the pupal stage. 



Distribution. — Common throughout the entire State, but most 

 troublesome in the central part. 



Food Plants. — The caterpillars feed upon wild and cultivated 

 grapevines and the Virginia creeper. 



