ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



205 



Fig. 210. 



No. 110. — The Promethea Emperor-moth. 



Callosamia Promethea (Drury). 



During the winter there may frequently be seen on cherry- 

 trees, particularly the wild species, a twisted leaf hanging here 

 and there after all the others have 

 fallen. A closer examination shows 

 each of these to contain a long, oval, 

 silken cocoon (see Fig. 210), the stem 

 of the leaf being secured to the twig 

 on which it grew with silken threads. 

 The silk is wound round the twig for 

 about half an inch on each side, then 

 carried down around the leaf-stalk to 

 the cocoon, the whole being so firmly 

 fastened that the leaf with the cocoon 

 cannot be detached without much 

 force. This is the cocoon of the 

 Promethea emperor-moth. Besides 

 the cherry, it is found on the sassa- 

 fras, lilac, button-bush, and occa- 

 sionally on other trees and shrubs. 



The moth escapes late in June or 

 early in July. It is a handsome in- 

 sect, and measures, when its wings are expanded, from three 

 and a half to nearly four and a half inches across. The 

 sexes differ very much in appearance : the wings of the male 

 (Fig. 211) are brownish black, those of the female (Fig. 212) 

 light reddish brown. In both, the wings are crossed by a 

 wavy whitish line near the middle, and a clay-colored border 

 along the hind edges. Both also have an eye-like black spot, 

 with a pale-bluish crescent within, near the tip of the fore 

 wings. Near the middle of each of the wings of the female 

 there is an angular reddish-white spot, edged with black ; the 

 same is visible on the under side of the wings of the male, 

 but is seldom seen on the upper side. 



