704 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



The hickory tiger-moth, Halisidota {:drycB. — One of the most abim- 



dant of caterpillars in the Atlantic States and westward during the 

 months of August and September is one clothed with dense tufts of 

 finely barbed white hairs. (Fig. 893) ; there is a ridge or crest of black 

 hairs on the middle of the back of the abdominal segments, a few 



long white hairs projecting over the 

 head from the thorax, and others pro- 

 jecting back from the last segment; 

 there are also two pairs of pencils of 

 black hairs, one on the first and one on 

 the seventh abdominal segment, and a 

 similar pair of pencils of white hairs on 

 the eighth abdominal segment. This 

 larva feeds on hickory, butternut, and 

 other forest-trees. Its grayish cocoons, 

 composed almost entirely of the hair of the larva, are often found 

 under stones, fences, and other similar places. The fore wings of the 

 adult (Fig. 894) are dark brown spotted with white. 



Fig. 894. — Halisidota carya. 



Subfamily LITHOSIIN^ 

 The Footman-Moths 



The Lithosiinae include small moths with rather slender bodies, 

 filiform antennae, and usually narrow front wings and broad hind 

 wings. As a rule they are closely scaled insects of sombre colors, 

 a fact that has won for them the title of footman-moths; but in case 

 of some of the species their livery is very gay. Some species fly by 

 day, while others are attracted to lights at night. 



The Lithosiinee differ from the preceding subfamily and agree 

 with the following one in lacking ocelli. They differ from the following 

 subfamily in having the fore wings smoothly scaled. The venation 

 of the wings differs greatly in the different genera. In some genera 

 veins M2 and M3 of the fore wings are wanting. 



The larvae are cylindrical and covered with short, stiff hairs. The 

 majority of the species whose transformations are known feed upon 

 lichens. They transform in very delicate cocoons or have naked pupae. 



This subfamily includes about fifty North American species, of 

 which the following are some of the 

 more common ones. 



The striped footman, Hypoprepia 

 minidta.- — This beautiful moth is of a 

 deep scarlet color, with three broad 

 lead colored stripes on the front wings. 

 Two of the stripes extend the entire 

 length of the wings ; while the third is 

 between these and extends from the 

 end of the discal cell to the outer margin (Fig. 895). The outer half 

 of the hind wings is also slate-colored. Vein M2 of the fore wings is 



Fig. 895. — Hypoprepia miniata. 



