POISONOUS INSECTS AND THEIR RELATIVES 431 



tubercles at the anterior and posterior ends bearing spines. 

 It feeds upon corn, rose, apple, grape, currant, cherry, rasp- 

 berry, blackberry, and other plants. The moth is of a 

 deep, rich, reddish, velvety-brown color with a wing 

 expanse of about an inch and a quarter. 



The spines of this caterpillar have much the same net- 

 tling power as those already discussed. The irritation is 

 similar to that caused by the io moth. The parts touched 

 swell, become inflamed, and watery blisters appear. In 

 extreme cases numbness of the entire arm may follow. 



The hag-moth, Phobetron pithecium, caterpillar is an- 

 other mildly stinging larva of a most curious shape. Its 

 dark brown body is much flattened and bears eight re- 

 markable, fleshy appendages protruding from the sides. 

 When the caterpillar is roughly handled, some or all of 

 these fleshy appendages become detached from the 

 body. 



Hubbard gives the following description of the hag-moth 

 caterpillar : " This insect receives its name from the curi- 

 ous hairy appendages which cover the back and project 

 from the sides of the larva and have a backward twist 

 like locks of dishevelled hair. They are, in fact, fleshy 

 hooks, covered with feathery, brown hairs, among which 

 are longer, black stinging hairs." There seems to be a 

 difference of opinion regarding the power of this cater- 

 pillar to sting. Lintner quotes a correspondent to the 

 effect that although dozens of them were handled every 

 year in all stages and all ages, yet none of them showed 

 any indication of a power to sting. Another correspondent 

 says, "This little worm has a Victor-Hugo-devil-fish sort 

 of look, but cannot sting, and is perfectly harmless." 



In addition to the nettling caterpillars already discussed, 



