i6 Thk Ottawa Naturalist. | April — May 



cerisyi, Kirby, which is ;in exceedingly rare insect in eastern parts 

 ot Canada, being only occasionally met with. 



The Seszdte, or Clearwings, follow the Spht^igidce, and are 

 all small moths with slender bodies. They have much the 

 appearance of wasps, and like these insects fly by day. Their 

 larvae are known as Borers, and often cause much damage to 

 maple, peach, and other trees, besides injuring seriously certairl 

 plants, such as the squash, etc. The species are very interesting; 

 they are also hard to get, especially so in the adult stage. 

 Sesia tipuliformis, Linn., occurs here, and often causes injury 

 to currant bushes. Besides this species. Dr. Fletcher tells me 

 that he has taken in the past at Ottawa, Podosesia syringce^ 

 Harr., and Sesia acerni, Clem., with the statement that they both 

 occur rarely. 



Of the Arcttidoe, often called the Tiger Moths, nearly twenty 

 representatives have been found in this locality. Callimorpha 

 contigua Walk, and C. co?ifusa, Lyman, are both interesting, and 

 being day-flyers, frequent open places in woods. Eiiprepia caja, L. 

 a americana, Harr. , the large tiger moth, expands about 2^ inches, 

 and is a beautiful species. I was fortunate enough to secure two 

 specimens of this moth on the 31st July last, and, from one, got 

 some eggs, and had the pleasure of breeding the species through 

 all its diff'erent stages during the past season. The full grown 

 larva is about an inch and three-quarters in length, and in general 

 appearance is a black caterpillar with rusty red sides, and 

 covered with long sweeping silvery hairs. 



Of the Notodontidce, the most interesting species taken the 

 past summer, are Notodonta simplaria, Graef. , Lophodonta 

 ferruginea, Pack., L. georgica, H.-S., Fheosia rimosa. Pack., 

 and Nerice bidentata, Walk. These moths average about an 

 inch and a half in expanse ot wings, and are brownish or reddish in 

 appearance. 



The large moths belonging to the family Saturntidce always 

 attract attention. Acttas luna, Linn., the large delicate green 

 species with long tail like appendages, is one of the most hand- 

 some moths in Canada. Attacus promethcu, Dru., A. cecropia, 

 Linn., and Telea polyphemus, Cram., also among our largest 



