136 



MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Habits. — Dr. Hiinis, in liis "Treatise," quite fully describes the Imbits of tliis tent-iuliabiting 

 caterpillar, remarking: " Wlieu young thej' sometimes fold up one .side of a leaf for a nest, and 

 eat the other half." He also fully describes the tent made by the social mature larvie, which we 

 have also observed on the poplar, " made of a single leaf folded or curled at the sides, and lined 

 with a thin web of silk.'' He also states that "the cateipillars go out to feed upon the leaves 

 near to their nests." It thus appears that from early larval life the caterpillars live in much the 

 same way as the fully grown larva', dwelling in tents, and, unlike most Xotodontians, continuing 

 to live socially in "swarms of twenty or more," until tliey disperse, preparatory to pupation. 

 While feeding exposed, they arc ])robably not eaten by birds, as their colors and markings serve 

 as "danger signals." 



The following account is cojjied from Harris's Correspondence (p. -1(1). He observed tliem on 

 the Balm of Gilead: 



August aud September. 1835: Gregarious caterpillars on the Balm of Gilead tree; foldiug up the leaf aud liniug 

 it with silk as a comuiou wel), the petiole beitig also fastened to the truuk hy silk. 



Laria. — Color of the larva yellow; head, geiliiuate tubercles on the fourth and eleventh segments, tip of last 

 segment, aud true feet, black; three narrow dorsal aud three broader Jateral vitt;e, and spiracles, bl.ack. The larva 

 is much like that of Cioslera anachorela (Ernst, 165, tig. 214) aud C. recliisa (Ernst, 1G5, tig. 216) and closely resembles 



C. (Diastomosis. Tliiu cocoon formed in a box October 4, 1835. Another cocoon 

 formed in October, 1837, disclosed the imago June 15, 1838. 



August 10, 1838: Found the larvie in great abundance on the Balm o£ 

 Gilead tree. These caterpillars are gregarious, and form a common shelter 

 consisting of a leaf folded longitudinally and lined with a thick web of silk, 

 beneath which the insects are sheltered when not feeding. They eat the whole 

 of the leaves except the veins, which remain untouched. The petioles of the 

 small leaves used as habitations are fastened with silk. The larger leaves sub- 

 sequently used for shelter are not thus secured. They do not e.at the leaves 

 which serve for habitations, but sometimes fold one-half of the leaf and eat the 

 corresjionding side. "When fully grown the caterpillar measures li inches or 

 more in length. They do not vary in color or markings at ditl'erent ages. Body 

 slightly hairy, light yellow; the head, true feet, a double wart on the fourth, 

 another on the eleventh anal valve, three slender dorsal stripes and three broiider 

 lateral ones on a dusky ground, aud the spiracles, black. In the oldest caterpil- 

 lars there is an orange-colored line at the sides of the body below the spiracles. 

 The upper lateral black stripe is the broadest and becomes indistirict toward the 

 second, which gives to the sides the .appearance of .a broad, dusky strijie marked 

 with three black lines. The thinly scattered hairs on the body are whitish, and 

 proceed indiscriminately from the surface, and not from regular tubercles. 



The caterpillar of this moth occurred on the poplar (B. grandi- 

 dentata), at I'rovideuce, September 11 to lo. They were living 

 within a tent made by drawing two or three leaves together, several 

 smaller branches of the tree having been defoliated by them. It pupated a few days after, the 

 moth appearing in the breeding cage June 1 of the nest year. 



The eggs occur in April and Jlay and July and August: the larva' from IMay to July and 

 August to September; adults, March, April, aud May, and July and ,\.ugnst (also all winter months 

 in confinement in breeding cages. (Riley.) 



Food pJunts. — Different sjiecies of poplar, esi)ecially P. /»v'Hi«?o«?fs. I. palla vma reared by 

 Professor French on the willow, po^dar, willow maple.) (Eiley.) 



Geographical distribution. — It ranges from Maine and Canada to Georgia (Abbot) and 

 Florida (Packard), thus extending through the Appalachian and Austroripariau subprovince.s. 

 Maine (Packard); Massachu.setts (Harris, Sanborn, Sliurtleff); Amherst, Ma.ss. (Mrs. Fernald); 

 llhode Island (Packard); New York (H.Edwards, Elliot, Dyar); Itacine, Wis.; Chicago, III. 

 (Westcott); southern Illinois (French); Georgia (Abbot); Jacksonville, Fla. (Packard); Indian 

 River, Florida (H. Edwards) ; Texas (Riley) ; Denver, Colo., April 30, May 9 (Gillette). Its western 

 and southwestern limits are not exactly known. Professor French .sends me the following 

 localities of specimens in his collection: /. iiicliisa, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, ^^'isconsin, 

 Ohio; var. inversa, Canada, Lincoln, Nebr.; Colorado; var. puUa, normal, Carboudale, 111.; 

 Lincoln, Nebr. 



Flo. 02.— Ucail ot impa of lehlhyura 

 Inchiga. 



