123 



Hemerocampa leucostigma Smith and Abbot 

 Porthetria dispar Linnaeus 

 Buproctis chrysorrhoca Linnaeus 



SuPERFAMiLY BOMBYCOIDEA 



This superfamily includes those famihes in which the body is 

 more or less densely covered with setae and which usually retain 

 the labial palpi. They seem to be more nearly related to the Satur- 

 nioidea than to any other superfamily, although the Lasiocampidae 

 show certain points of relationship with the Liparidae. All the 

 members of the superfamily, so far as known, are found in thick 

 silken cocoons, much like those of the Saturniidae. The families of 

 Bombycoidea may be separated as follows : 



a. Epicranial suture present; labial palpi visible Lasiocampidae. 



aa. Epicranial suture never present ; labial palpi concealed by the maxil- 

 lae except for a small triangular area at the proximal end. 



BOMBYCIDAE. 



Family Lasiocampidae 



The members of this family usually have mouth parts and appen- 

 dages arranged as in the Liparidae (Fig. io6). The epicranial su- 

 ture is always present and the vertex is longer than that found in any 

 but the more generalized forms. The maxillae are short, never more 

 than one third the length of the wings, and extend very slightly be- 

 yond the distal ends of the labial palpi, or may be shorter than the 

 palpi. 



The antennae are broad and pectinate, and never extend as far 

 caudad as the prothoracic legs. The coxae of the prothoracic legs and 

 sometimes of the mesothoracic pair are often visible caudad of the 

 maxillae and labial palpi. The prothoracic legs are slightly more than 

 half the length of the wings and the mesothoracic legs never reach 

 the caudal margin of the wings. The setae of the body are very con- 

 spicuous except in Tolype, but are not arranged around the scars of 

 the larval verrucae. The movable segments are capable of being re- 

 tracted till only their caudal margins are visible. There is never a 

 cremaster present, and there are no hooked setae at the caudal end 

 of the body. The body is broadly rounded at the caudal end and 

 the body setae are usually a little longer and coarser in this region. 

 This family is considered by many authors to be more specialized 

 than any of the Saturnioidea, but the presence of the epicranial su- 

 ture and exposed labial palpi shows that they are much more gener- 

 alized. The genera of Lasiocampidae may be separated as follows : 



