l8o ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



races have been developed by selection differing in the color of the 

 cocoons and larvae as well as the number of broods produced in a year. 



The main food plants are the white mulberry and the Osage orange. 

 The moth is creamy white in color, and has a wing-expanse of about 

 i;^^ inches. 



The lack of cheap labor in America has prevented the development of 

 the silk-worm industry. 



SATURNIID^ 



The members of this family are often called the Giant Silk-worms 

 and include several conspicuous forms such as the lo Moth (Automeris 

 io), the Polyphemus Moth (Telea polyphemus), the Luna Moth {TropcEa 

 luna), the Fromethea Moth (Callosamia promethea) and the C ectopia 

 Moth (Samia cecropia). 



A. Wings bluish-green with four eye-like spots; hind wings with long tails; 

 front border of fore wings purple-brown; larva pale bluish- green with a 

 pearl-colored head and two yellow stripes along the back; feeding on walnut, 

 hickory, etc. — Tropcea luna L. (Luna moth). 

 AA. Wings not green. 



B. Wings yellowish or brownish. 



C. With four oval, window-like spots, one near centre of each wing; 

 a dusky band edged with pink along margin of wings; larva light 

 green with an oblique yellow line on side of each abdominal 

 segment, feeding on many forest and orchard trees. — Telea 

 polyphemus Cram. (Polyphemus moth). 

 CC. With eye-like spots on hind wings only; ground color of wings of 

 female purplish-red; that of male bright yellow; larva yellowish- 

 green, edged with white on side, with many black-tippea branched 

 spines; feeding on cherry, apple, elm, oak, etc. — Automeris zo L. 

 (Io Moth). 

 BB. Wings brown, never yellowish. 



C. With eye-like spots near apex of fore wings, and 4 crescent- 

 shaped discal spots, one near the centre of each wing, white 

 surrounded by reddish and black lines; thorax red, abdomen 

 red and banded with black and white lines; larva bright green 

 with four prominent coral-red and two yellow tubercles on 

 thoracic segments, and smaller yellow tubercles on abdominal 

 segments; feeding on fruit and shade trees. — Samia cecropia 

 L. (Cecropia Emperor Moth). 

 CC. With eye-like spots near apex of fore wings, discal spots angular; 

 in male color blackish and discal spots faint; larva bluish-green 

 with rows of black tubercles, excepting those on second and third 

 thoracic segments which are coral-red, and a yellow one on eighth 



