CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF COMMON INSECTS l8l 



abdominal segment; cocoon in a folded leaf. Feeds on leaves of 

 fruit and forest trees. — Callosamia promcthea (Promethea Moth). 



These handsome moths are not of much importance economically. 

 Their larvae are large, conspicuous and brilliantly colored, consequently 

 are readily destroyed by birds. Many also are killed by parasites. Some 

 attempts have been made to manufacture the silk of the cocoons 

 of some species but it has been found that the cocoon cannot be profit- 

 ably unwound on account of the large number of breaks in the thread. 



ARCTIID^ (TIGER MOTHS) 



Woolly Bears. — Several interesting and common caterpillars may 

 be conveniently grouped as "Woolly Bears," on account of their hairy 

 appearance. A few common forms are here considered. 



Yellow Bear (Diacrisia virginica Fab.). — Color of caterpillar vari- 

 able; frequently yellow or straw color with a black interrupted line 

 along each side of back, and a black transverse line between each 

 segment; hairs long and yellow; uneven in length and not gathered 

 into pencils. Cocoon is light and composed of hairs in which pupa 

 passes the winter. Moth snowy- white; wings marked with a few 

 black dots; three rows of black spots on abdomen. 



Hedge-hog Caterpillar {Isia isabella Sm. and A.). — An ''evenly 

 clipped furry caterpillar, reddish-brown in the middle and black at 

 either end." Passes winter as larva. Moth (Isabella Tiger Moth) 

 has wings and body orange-buff, hind wings tinted with rose. Body 

 with 3 rows of black dots. 



Salt Marsh Caterpilar {Estigmene acrcea Drury).— Body and head 

 blackish with pale longitudinal stripes on the back; hair is dark brown; 

 passes winter as pupa. Abdomen of moth orange; both wings white 

 in female, hind wings orange in male; both marked with black dots. 

 Six rows of black spots on abdomen, one on back, one on venter, and 

 two on each side. 



Fall Web Worm {Hyphantria textor Harris). — Conspicuous by their 

 webs or nests in autumn on orchard, shade and forest trees (Fig. 122). 



Adult. — Quite variable in markings; pure white, sometimes spotted 

 with black; expands i3^ inches; femur of forelegs orange and legs and 

 feet with touches of black. 



Eggs. — L2,id in a flat cluster of about 400 on under side of leaf; 

 golden-yellow, globular and pitted; hatch in about 10 days. 



