r22 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



loo mm. This genus is easily recognized by the fact that vein Mj 



of both fore and hind wings is coalesced at its base with radius. 



The larvas live in the tops of pines and are abundant in alternate 



years; they are 

 dried and eaten 

 by Indians. 



The lo-moth, 

 Automeris io. — 

 This is a com- 

 mon species in 

 the East. The 

 female is repre- 

 sented by Figure 

 922. In this sex 

 the ground-color 

 of the fore wings 

 -S purplish red. 

 Fig. <)22.— Automeris io. The male differs 



greatly in ap- 

 pearance from the female, being somewhat smaller and of a deeper 

 yellow color, but it can be easily recognized by its general resemblance 

 to the female in other respects. 



The larva is one that the student should learn to recognize in order 

 that he may avoid handling it; for it is armed with spines the prick of 

 which is venomous (Fig. 923) 



The same is true of the larva , 



of the Maia-moth, but that is 

 much less common. The larva 

 of the lo-moth is green, with a 

 broad brown or reddish stripe, 

 edged below with white, on 

 each side of the abdomen. The 

 spines are tipped with black. 

 This larva feeds on various trees and shrubs. 



The poly ph emus-moth, Telea polyphetmis. — This is a yellowish or 

 brownish moth with a window-like spot in each wing. There is a 

 gray band on the costal margin of the fore wings ; and near the outer 

 margin of both pairs of wings there is a dusky band, edged without 

 with pink ; the fore wings are crossed by a broken dusky or reddish 

 line near the base, edged within with white or pink. The transparent 

 spot on each wing is divided by the discal vein, and encircled by yellow 

 and black rings. On the hind wings the black surrounding the trans- 

 parent spot is much widened, especially toward the base of the wing, 

 and is sprinkled with blue scales. The wings expand from 125 to 

 150 mm. 



The larva (Fig. 924) feeds on oak, butternut, basswood, elm, 

 maple, apple, plum and other trees. When full grown it measures 

 75 mm. or more in length. It is of a light green color with an oblique 

 yellow line on each side of each abdominal segment except the first 



Fig. 923. — Automeris io, larva. 



