PINE CATERPILLARS. 785 



anterior nearer together; all dark. The segments (5-6) are wrinkled dorsally, the 

 high large folds very prominent on the side, so that it appears rough and tubercu- 

 lated and is thus assimilated to the rough, older, dark part of a twig. Color, dull 

 wood-brown, exactly like that of the twig on which it rests at base of leaves. Length 



113. The 10-lixed pink span-worm. 



Order Lepidoptera ; family Phal.enid^. 



Larva. — Body three-fourths of an inch in length, dull green, darker than the leaves ; 

 body very slender; head large, considerably wider than the body, deeplj' divided by 

 the median line, pale greenish yellow. Body on the upper side with ten narrow 

 linear wavy dark purplish lines, which disappear before reaching the supra-anal 

 plate, which is small, flattened, not prominent; it is subtriangular in form, the apex 

 not sharp. Similar purplish lines on the under side of the body. Thoracic and 

 first pair of proplegs purplish ; the last pair greenish. This though not a strictly 

 mimetic form, is sufficiently so to escape ordinary detection, not being much darker 

 than the leaves. Observed August 17, on leaves of the pitch-pine at Brunswick, Me. 



114. The red and yellow striped pine span-worm. 



Feeding in September on the leaves of the pitch-pine, a stout reddish brown 

 measuring worm, striped with straw-yellow ; the moth unknown. 



This is another reddish caterpillar which is somewhat assimilated in 

 color to the pine twigs among which it feeds. Unfortunately the moth 

 is unknown. We have found it the 1st of September, at Brunswick, 

 Me., and also September 20, at Amherst, Mass. 



The caterpillar is thick-bodied and rather short. Head large and smooth, not 

 tuberculated above, but swollen somewhat on both sides. The sides of the body are 

 swollen, and there is a lateral tubercle on the side of each segment ; the. anal lateral 

 plates are large and spreading ; the dorsal anal j)late large, rounded at the end, and 

 semi-elliptical rather than rounded. It is reddish brown, with minute straw-yellow 

 lines; a pale straw-yellow median dorsal line dilating on each wing ; a p*ir of dark 

 brown dots on the hind margin of each segment ; on the sides an irregular deep yellow 

 line. Head reddish, dusted with yellow and dark brown speckles. Length not quite 

 .70 inch. 



115. The pine-needle span worm. 



Feeding on the leaves, a small measuring worm, closely mimicking the form of a 

 dead red-pine needle. 



This is the most striking case of mimicry we have seen on the pine; 

 the caterpillar, as it stands out stiff, holding on to the twig with its hind 

 feet, after the manner of measuring or span worms, would easily be 

 mistaken for a dead, dry, red pitch-pine needle ! We have found one 

 specimen on the pitch-pine at Brunswick, Me., September 1. On the 

 5th it made a slight silken white cocoon and assumed the semi-pupa 

 condition. 



The caterpillar is slender and unusually flattened, tapering more than is common 

 towards each end of the body. The head is small and narrow, but rather full. The 

 color and form of the body is surprisingly like a dead red needle of the tree ; it 

 could readily be mistaken for it, since the end of the body suddenly tapers like the 

 pine-needle itself. Color rust red, a darker dorsal line. 

 5 ENT 50 



