MOTHS OF THE LIMBERLOST 



amateur has trouble, when often only a few words would 

 suffice. 



For example, any one of half a dozen writers tells us 

 that when a caterpillar finishes eating and is ready to go 

 into winter quarters it crawls rapidly around for a time, 

 empties the intestines, and transformation takes place. 

 Why do not some of them explain further that a 

 caterj^illarof, say,six inches in length will shrink to tkree^ 

 its skin become loosened, the horns drop limp, and the 

 creature appear dead and disintegrating.'^ Because 

 no one mentioned these things, I concluded that 

 the first caterpillar I found in this state was lost to me 

 and threw it away. A few words would have saved 

 the complete history of a beautiful moth, to secure 

 which no second opportunity was presented for five 

 years. 



Several works I consulted united in the simple state- 

 ment that certain caterpillars pupate in the ground. 



In Packard's "Guide," on page ninety-seven you will 

 find this, — "Lepidopterous pupae should be . . . kept 

 moist in mould until the image appears." I followed 

 this direction, even taking the precaution to bake the 

 earth used, because I was very anxious about some rare 

 moths. When they failed to emerge in season I dug 

 them out, only to find that those not moulded had been 

 held fast by the damp, packed earth, and all were 

 ruined. I learned by investigation that pupation takes 



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