LEPIDOPTERA '7V7 



The regal-moth, Citheronia regdlis. — ^This is the largest and most 

 magnificent of the royal -moths (Fig. 914). The fore wings are olive- 

 colored, spotted with yellow, and with the veins heavily bordered 

 with red scales. The hind wings are orange-red, spotted with yellow, 

 and with a more or less distinctly marked olive band outside the 

 middle. The wings expand from 100 to 150 mm. 



When fully grown the larva measures from 100 to 125 mm. in 

 length. It is our largest caterpillar, and can be readily recognized 

 by the very long spiny horns with which it is armed. Those of the 

 mesothorax and metathorax are much longer than the others. Of 

 these there are four on each segment ; the intermediate ones measure 

 about 1 5 mm. in length This larva feeds on various trees and shrubs. 

 It is known in some regions as the hickory horned devil. 



The imperial-moth, Basilona imperidlis . — This moth rivals the 

 preceding species in size, expanding from 100 to 137 mm. It is sul- 

 phur-yellow, banded and speckled with purplish brown. The full 

 grown larva (Fig. 915) measures from 75 to 100 mm. in length. It is 

 thinly clothed wth long hairs, and bears prominent spiny horns on 

 the second and third thoracic segments. In the early larval stages 



Fig. 915. — Basilona imperialis, larva. 



these thoracic horns are very long and spiny, resembling those of the 

 larva of th e regal-moth . The larva feeds on h ickory , pine , oak , butter- 

 nut, and other forest -trees. 



The two-colored royal-moth, Adelocephala btcolor. — In this species 

 the upper side of the fore wings and the under side of the hind wings 

 are yellowish brown, speckled with black. The under side of the 

 fore wings and the upper side of the hind wings are to a considerable 

 extent pink. There is usually a dark discal spot on the fore wings, 

 upon which, especially in the males, there may be two white dots. 

 This species is more common in the Southern States than in the 

 North. The expanse of wings in the male is 50 mm.; in the female, 

 60 mm. The larva feeds on the leaves of the honey-locust and of the 

 Kentucky coffee-tree. 



Anisota. — The genus Anisota contains fotu" species of moths found 

 in the Northeastern United States. These moths are dark yellow. 



