400 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



f 1 



Fig. 151. — Maple slug worm.— BridgLam del. 



30. The American silk-worm. 

 Telea polyphemus Hilbner. 



According to Mr. E. B. Reed, this insect " frequently attacks maples, 

 and from the enormous size of the caterpillar and its voracious appe- 

 tite a great deal of damage is often done." (Report Ontario Ent. Soc. 

 for 1872, p. 39.) Mrs. Dimmock has contributed the following historical 

 accoutJt of this insect to Psyche, iv, p. 277 : 



Attacus polypliemusY-Abv. (Species iusector., 1781, v. 2, p. 168). Among the very 

 numerous articles which have been published conceruiag this species the following 

 are worthy of citation. Hairis (Rept. Ins. Injur. Veg., 1841, p. 278-279) describes 

 larva, cocoon, and imago ; later (Treatise on Ins. Injur. Veg., 1862, p. .384-386) he adds 

 a figure of the imago, and (Eutom. Corresp., 1869, p. 294, pi. 4, tig. 17) a figure of the 

 larva. Morris (Synop. Lepid. N. A., 1862, p. 226-227) describes larva and imago, and 

 {op. cit., p. 209) describes the egg, which he mistook for that of Smerinthus excaecatus. 

 Trouvelot (Amer. Nat., 1867. v. i, p. 30-38, 85-94, 145-149, pi. 5-6) gives an extended 

 account of this species which he tried to rear, on a considerable scale, for its silk ; he 

 describes the egg, larva, pupa, and cocoon, and figures the larva, pupa, cocoon, and 

 male and female imagos, as well as Ophion macrurum, a parasite of the larva ; he says 

 there are at least six varieties of the imagos. Packard (Guide Study Ins., 1869, p. 

 297, pi. 6-7) repeats Trouvelot's figures. Riley [?] (Amer. Entom., March 1869, v. i, 

 p. 121-122) figures the imago and describes the larva and imago. Riley (4th Ann. 

 Rept. State Eutom. Mo., 1872, p. 125-129) describes egg, larva,cocoon, pupa, and imago, 

 and figures larva, pupa, cocoon, and male and female imagos ; contrary to Trouvelot, 

 who stated that there are six larval stages, Riley gives the number of molts as four, 

 making five larval stages. Lintuer (Entom. Contrib. [No. 1], 1872, p. 6) gives a note 

 on the coloration of the eggs, and (oj). cit.. No. 3, 1874, p. 152) describes the egg. 

 Gentry (Can. Entom., May 1874, v. 6, p. 86) describes the normal form and a variety 

 of the larva. Grote (Can. Entom., Sept. 1878, v. 10, p. 176) states that this species is 

 double-brooded in the South; Trouvelot {I. c.) was unable to raise two broods to ma- 

 turity in Massachusetts, and Brodie (Papilio, April 1882, V. 2, p. 60) writes that "in 

 long and warm seasons about 50 per cent, are double-bi'ooded, but this is against 

 the increase of the species, as cold weather usually sets in before the larvae are fully 

 matured." Packard (Bull. 7, U. S. Entom. Comm., 1881, p. 48) figures the larva. 

 Saunders (Can. Entom, March 1882, v. 14, p. 41-45) figures and describes the larva, 

 pupa, cocoon, and male and female imagos; he further figures Ophion macrurum, a 

 parasite of the larva. Brodie (Papilio, May 1882, v. 2, p. 83) states that normally 

 this insect comes from its cocoon at about 11 a. m. Wailly (Bull. Soc. Acclim. France, 

 May 1882, s. 3, v. 9, p. 265) gives some notes upon the larva and imago. A compila- 



