THE LEPIDOPTERA 



281 



Another large moth belonghig here is the Imperial Moth (Basilona imperialis 

 Dru., Fig. 293) which has about the same distribution as the Regal Walnut Moth. 

 The adult often spreads six inches and is yellow, with lilac or purplish-brown 



Fig. 



293. — Imperial Moth (Basilona imperialis Dru.), slightly more than half natural size. 

 (From Felt, N. Y. State Mus. Mem. 8.) 



areas or bands and spots. The caterpillar (Fig. 294) is green (or brown sometimes), 

 from three to four inches long when full-grown, rather well covered with long, 

 white hairs, and has two pairs of rather stout, upward projecting tubercles or 

 horns behind the head. It feeds on quite a hst of trees including some of the 



Fig. 29-i. 



-Full-grown larva of Imperial Moth, somewhat reduced. {Reduced from 

 Packard, Mem. Xat. Acad. Set. IX, Part II.) 



evergreens, and pupates in the ground during the winter. Like the last species 

 it is rarely if ever abundant enough to be of economic importance. 



Several insects in this family are quite common at times and locally may be 

 numerous enough to cause some injury to oaks, maples and other trees they feed 

 upon, but their presence is noticed for only a year or two at a time. 



