142 



INSECTS AFFECTING THE ORANGE. 



n\ 



appears to have thrown across its back a green cloth surmounted by 

 a purple saddle. The fringing- hairs along the sides of the larva have 

 irritating- properties like the concealed nettling hairs of Lagoa. 

 The cocoons are short, oval, almost globular, flattened against the 



branch to which they are at- 

 tached, and are of the same 

 tough, parchment-like material 

 and brown color as in Lagoa. 

 They are usually placed in con- 

 cealment, often against the main 

 trunk of the tree, at or near the 

 surface of the ground. The lar- 

 va before pupating cuts a circu- 

 lar flap at the end, making an 

 opening nearly equal to the en- 

 tire diameter of the cocoon, 

 through which the moth makes 

 its escape by pushing open the door from within. 



The moth has a wooly body and legs of rich maroon color, with the 

 base of the abdomen and the under wings of 

 ^,, ,, , -rr-^ ^^, lighter brown. The scales of the fore-wing lie 



flat and have a silken sheen upon the prominent 

 veins and margin, while in the depressions be- 

 tween the veins thej' stand erect, as in velvet, 

 giving an embossed appearance to the wing. 

 The upper surface of the fore-wing bears sev- 

 eral dots of i)ale yellow, each consisting of a few opalescent scales. 

 The dots are arranged in two pairs, one at the base and the other at 

 the apex of the wing, with a single minute fleck placed half-way be- 

 tween the pairs. 

 Parasite. — The larva is destroyed by a Microgaster. 



Fig. 60.- 



-JEmpretia stimulea: a, niotli (Original); 6, 

 larva (after Kiley). 



:,-V-^ 





Fig. 61. — Empretia stimuleat 

 cocoon. (Original.) 



THE HAG-MOTH CATERPILLAR. 



{Phobetron pithecium, Smith and Abbot.) 



[Figs. 62 and 63.] 



This insect receives its name from the curious hairy appendages which 

 cover the back and project from the sides of the larva, and have a back- 

 ward twist, like locks of dishevelled hair. These are, in fact, fleshy 

 hooks, covered with feathery, brown hairs, among which are longer, 

 black, stinging hairs. The larva is lo""" (/„ inch) long and has an oval 

 body, over which, however, the flattened and closely applied appendages 

 form a nearly square shield. The cocoon (Fig. G^) is almost spherical, like 

 that of the Saddle-back caterpillar, and is defended by the hairy ap- 

 pendages which the larva in some way contrives to leave upoii the out- 



