400 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



length of the largest in Stage I. They are also more hairy and 

 there is a conspicuous mixture of gray hairs with the long black ones. 

 The general color of the skin is darker with more of an orange-yel- 

 low tone. The hairs are arranged on the same tubercles as in Stage 

 I, but now each tubercle carries a small cluster of hairs and those 

 on the sides just above the legs, which were bare in the first stage, 

 have three hairs each. The head, the back plates of the first and 

 last body segments, and the hair tubercles are dark reddish brown. 



The back plate of the first segment is now divided 

 by a pale median line. The characters of Stage II 

 are shown by figure 6. 



After their molt the caterpillars resume feeding 

 and working with increased vigor, and more and 

 more leaves are included in the expanding webs. 

 The colony often splits into several sections, each 

 constructing a home of its own. But always there 

 are laggards that remain behind for some time in 

 the old domiciles, generally individuals that are 

 slow in changing their skins, presumably those 

 that hatched latest. While most of the weavers 

 work on the inside of the webs, many are on the 

 outer walls where they are constantly laying on 

 more threads, though the walls look already strong 

 enough for all practical purposes. The tents are 

 not hollow bags, their interiors are intricate laby- 

 rinths of rooms and galleries between sheets and 

 strands of silk woven in all directions. 



The caterpillars still feed only on the surfaces of 

 the leaves, mostly on the upper sides, and there are 

 as many possible dinner tables in their house as 

 as there are leaves inclosed within it. Yet the family prefers 

 to eat in common, as many on one leaf as the leaf will accommo- 

 date. But instead of facing toward the center of the table, as true 

 sociability generally requires, the diners turn their backs to one 

 another and spread farther and farther apart as the meal progresses, 

 till finally the table is bare except for an irregular band around the 

 outer margin. Then the family moves on to another leaf to continue 

 the repast, which lasts for an indefinite time. Necessarily there 

 are no courses and no change of dishes; the same fare is served from 

 first to last, as long as the colony remains on the same tree. The 

 deserted banquet halls are desolate looking places, full of dead leaves 

 and refuse, for the webworms never clean house ; and a solitary diner 

 remaining behind must make a cheerless repast on remnants amidst 

 dirt and disorder. 



Fig. 6. — Young web- 

 worm in Stage II 

 (natural length & 

 inch). 



