33 



THE MOURNING CLOAK I'.UTTKRl I.V. 



Vatiessa {Euvancssa) aiitiopa^ L. 



This is ail interesting" species; it is last seen in the fall and tivst in 

 spring-, since it hibernates in the perfect state, spending the cold 

 months in the nooks of barns and out houses, or other places where 

 it finds shelter. N'ery few of the Lepidoptera lemain through the 

 winter in this state, most of them iieing in the egg or chrysalis at 

 this time. On account of this hiberi^aling liabit the butterflies very 

 naturallv are seen late in the fall and even a few warm days in 

 winter may arouse thcni tVom tlieir torpor antl bring them out of 

 their hiding places for a time. The larva of this butterfly, figure 

 23, is a rather forbidding worm coveted 

 with branched black spines. The body is 

 dark, thicklv spotted with white (.lots and 

 along the back there is a row of eight rather 

 large dark reil s])ots. The head is l)lack. 

 When fuUv grown the caterpillar is an 

 inch and a half long or more. The cater- 

 pillar, though such a formidable look- 

 ing creature, seems to be perfectly harm- 

 less. Probabh- its airay of spines serves 

 it a good pur))ose when toads or birds are 

 Lai-vaof I'aiicssaaiitiopa, r . about. Tliev 'i^C(\ cliieflv ou the wil- 

 lows and elm. The perfect insect, iigure 21, is a large hand- 



Figure 23. 



Figure 24 



Vanessa antiopa, L. 

 The rigiit wing sliows the under side. 



