MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



and stumps. lo spins so slightly in confinement that the 

 pupa case and cast skin show through. I never have 

 found a pupa out of doors, but this is a ground cater- 

 pillar. 



Sometimes the caterpillar has been stung and had an 

 egg placed in its skin by a parasite, before pupation. In 

 such case the pupa is destroyed by the developing fly. 

 Throughout one winter I was puzzled by the light weight 

 of what appeared to be a good Polyphemus cocoon, and 

 at time for emergence amazed by the tearing and scratch- 

 ing inside the cocoon, until what I think was an Ophion 

 fly appeared. It was honey yellow, had antennae long 

 as its extremely long body, the abdomen of which was 

 curved and the segments set together so as to appear 

 notched. The wings were transparent and the insect 

 it seems is especially designed to attack Polyphemus 

 caterpillars and help check a progress that otherwise 

 might become devastating. (See opposite page.) 



Among the moths that do not feed, the year of their 

 evolution is divided into about seven days for the life 

 of the moth, from fifteen to thirty for the eggs, from five 

 to six weeks for the caterpillar and the remainder of the 

 time in the pupa stage. The rule differs with feeding 

 moths only in that after mating and egg placing they take 

 food and live several months, often until quite heavy 

 frosts have fallen. 



One can admire to fullest extent the complicated 



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