96 Bugs, Butterflies, and Beetles 



religions handed down by the priests of those 

 days. None of their stories would hold in court 

 to-day. Some say lo was the sister of Zeus, some 

 say she was the wife of Zeus and others that she 

 was the wife of the Egyptian king named Osiris. 

 But of one thing we are certain, lo is classical and 

 hence deserves to have something named after her, 

 and it is probably because lo was a dangerous 

 woman that the dangerous caterpillar is called lo. 



When we say " dangerous caterpillar," the 

 reader must not think that the caterpillar is going 

 to bite or kill the collector, but it can make it very 

 disagreeable for any one who handles it because of 

 the poisonous quality of the prickles on its back 

 (Fig. 87). 



The baby io is hatched from peg-top-shaped 

 eggs, which are deposited in groups on dog- 

 wood, sassafras and bayberry bushes. The cater- 

 pillars do not look like those previously described, 

 the big harmless caterpillars, and the io does not 

 suggest a sausage, but scientists have placed it in 

 company with the big silk-worms. 



The caterpillars are pea-green in color and 

 decorated with hedgerows of green poisonous 

 prickles. They have dark brown stripes, edged 



