Ceratocampidae 



(2) Anisota virginiensis Drury, Plate VIII, Fig. 9, $ ; Fig. 

 10, ? . (The Virginian Anisota.) 



Syn. astymone Olivier; pellucida Herrich-Schasffer. 



The male insect has the fore wings almost transparent about 

 the middle, as is the case with Anisota senaioria, as has already 

 been pointed out, but the female is not heavily spotted, as is the 

 case in that species. The caterpillar feeds upon oaks. The moth 

 has the same geographical distribution as the preceding species. 



(3) Anisota rubicunda Fabricius, Plate Vill, Fig. 11, 5. 

 (The Rosy Maple-moth.) 



The larva of this beautiful moth feeds commonly upon the 

 silver-maple, which in many of our western cities has been 

 extensively planted as a shade-tree. The depredations it commits 

 upon the foliage have subjected it to the indignation of arbori- 

 culturists. It v/ a s 

 formerly very com- 

 mon in the city of 

 Pittsburgh, but for 

 many years past it 

 has almost entirely 

 disappeared, so that 

 it is now regarded as 

 a rather rare insect by 

 local collectors. The 

 disappearance of the 

 moth is due no doubt 

 to the combined influ- 

 ence of the electric 

 lights, which annually 



-Anisoia ritbit u):Ja. 



larva; b. 



Fig. 46.- 

 j . .„■ r- pupa; c. female moth. (After Riley.) 



destroy millions of ^ 



insects, which are attracted to them, and to gas-wells, and 

 furnaces, which lick up in their constantly burning flames other 

 millions of insects. Perhaps the English sparrow has also had a 

 part in the work of extermination. In Kansas the insect is very 

 common. I recently saw in the city of Atchison numerous 

 maples, which had almost been stripped of their leaves by these 

 larvae. The range of the insect is practically the same as that of 

 the other species of the genus. 



95 



