LEPIDOPTERA. 369 



entirely disappeared in the vicinity of Boston. At the latter 

 date, there was a visible increase of them here, and their num- 

 bers have rapidly augmented every subsequent year. In a 

 few years more, unless checked by natural or artificial means, 

 they will probably prove as destructive as at any former time. 

 The writer of this work has given repeated warning of these 

 facts in the public prints, and has pointed out the remedies to 

 be applied.* 



Apple, elm, and lime trees, are sometimes injured a good 

 deal by another kind of span-worm, larger than the canker- 

 worm, and very different from it in appearance. It is of a 

 bright yellow color, with ten crinkled black lines along the top 

 of the back; the head is rust-colored; and the belly is paler 

 than the rest of the body. When fully grown, it measures 

 about one inch and a quarter in length. It often rests with 

 the middle of the body curved upwards a little, and sometimes 

 even without the support of its fore legs. The leaves of the 

 lime seem to be its natural and favorite food, for it may be 

 found on this tree every year; but I have often seen it in con- 

 siderable abundance, with common canker-worms, on other 

 trees. It is hatched rather later, and does not leave the trees 

 quite so soon as the latter. About or soon after the middle of 

 June it spins down from the trees, goes into the ground, and 

 changes to a chrysalis in a little cell five or six inches below 

 the surface; and from this it comes out in the moth state 

 towards the end of October or during the month of November. 

 More rarely its last transformation is retarded till the spring. 

 The females are wingless and grub-like, with slender thread- 

 shaped antennae. As soon as they leave the ground they 

 creep up the trees, and lay their eggs in little clusters, here 

 and there on the branches. The males have large and delicate 

 wings, and their antenuEe have a narrow feathery edging on 

 each side. They follow the females, and pair with them on 

 the trees. This kind of moth closely resembles the lime-looper 



* See Prairie Farmer, Vol. VIII., p. 172, for June, 1848. Massachusetts 

 Ploughman, for June 24, 1848, Nov. 23, 1850, and May 17, 1851. Boston Cul- 

 tivator, Nov. 24, 1849. New England Farmer, Vol. II., p. 252, for August, 1850. 



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