LEPIDOPTERA 683 



ters and feed on the expanding foliage. They become full grown in 

 five or six weeks ; and then spin thin cocoons of white silk in curled 

 leaves, crevices in bark of trees, or under any convenient shelter. 

 About three weeks later the moths emerge. 



The full-grown larva of the brown-tail moth measures about 37 

 mm. in length. It is nearly black in ground color, clothed with tufts 

 of brownish barbed hairs, and has a row of nearly white tufts on each 

 side of the body. In the center of the sixth and seventh abdominal 

 segments are small, red, retractile tubercles. The barbed hairs borne 

 by the subdorsal and lateral tubercles are venomous and produce an 

 inflamation of the skin of man much like that caused by poison ivy. 

 As the cast skins of the larvae are blown about by the wind, people 

 are frequently badly poisoned where this pest is common. 



To control this pest the nests in which the larvae hibernate should 

 be collected during the winter and burned. 



Family NOCTUID^ 

 The Noctuids or the Owlet-Moths 



If only our fauna be considered, this is the largest of all of the 

 families of the Lepidoptera; more than 2500 species of noctuids are 

 now know to exist in America north of Mexico. The great majority 

 of the moths that fly into our houses at night, attracted by lights, 

 are members of this family. The nocturnal habits of these insects, 

 and the fact that often when they are in obscurity their eyes shine 

 brightly suggested the name of the typical genus, Nociua, from the 

 Latin for owl, as well as the popular name owlet -moths, by which 

 they are known. Similar popular names have been given them in 

 several other languages. 



Although there exist within the limits of the family great differences 

 in size, form, and coloring, most of the species are dull-colored moths 

 of medium size. 



In the typical noctuids, the body is large in proportion to the size 

 of the wings; the front wings are strong, somewhat narrow, and 

 elongated, the outer margin being shorter than the inner margin; 

 and when at rest, the wings are folded upon the abdomen, giving the 

 insect a triangular outline. The antennae are thread-like, or fringed 

 with hairs, or brush-like, often pectinate in the males. Two ocelli 

 are almost always present. The labial palpi are well developed, and 

 in some species quite prominent. The maxilla are quite long and 

 stout in most species. The thorax is heavy and stout. In the 

 majority of the species the scales or the dorsal surface of the thorax 

 are turned up more or less, foiTning tufts. The abdomen is conical 

 and extends beyond the anal angle of the hind wings when these 

 are spread. The venation of the wings of a member of this family is 

 represented by Figure 853. Vein M2 of the fore wings arises much 

 nearer to vein M3 than to vein Mr, there is usually an accessory cell; 

 the first anal vein is wanting, and the third anal vein may be present 



