BIRCH CATERPILLARS. 



495 



1869, V. 1, p. 166, this species is stated to feed on Populm dilatata and P. monilifera, 

 and Riley (Second Rept. State Entom. Mo., 1870, p. 121) gives Betiila and Alnus as 

 food-plants. Coquillett (Papilio, Jan. 1881, v. 1, p. 6) describes the larva and gives 

 red oak (Quercus) as food-plant. Thaxter (Papilio, Jan., 1883, v. 3, p. 17) adds 

 Juglans, Fraxinus. and Plataniis to the recorded food-plants. 



35. Apatela vulpina Grote. 



Apatela vulpina Grote (Can. Entom., Jan., 1883, v. 15, p. 8-9). Thaxter (Papilio, 

 Jan., 1883, v. 3, p. 14-15). describes the larva of this species, and gives Populus and 

 Betula as food -plants. 



36. Apatela spinigera Guen. 



Apatela spinigera Guen. (Hist. Nat. d. Ins., 1852, v. 5, Noct. t. 1, p. 45). Thaxter 

 (Psyche, March-April [24 Sept.], 1878, v. 2, p. 121-122) describes the larva of this 

 species and gives as food-plants Ruhus and Betula. 



37. Apatela occidentalis Grote and Rob. 



Apatela occidentalis Grote and Rob. (Proc. Entom. Soc. Phil., May, 1866, v. 6, p. 16). 

 The larva of this species is described by Harris (Entom. Corresp, 1869, p. 311-312), 

 who found it feeding on plum, cherry, and Pyrus americana. Lintner (Entom. 

 Contrib., [No. 1], 1869, p. 62) adds apple to the food-plants. Saunders (Can. Entom., 

 March, 1872, v. 4, p. 50) describes the larva. Packard (Papilio, Nov.-Dec, 1882, v. 

 2, p. 181) briefly describes the larva and pupa. Thaxter (Psyche, May-June [9 July] 

 1877, V. 2, p. 35) gives Ulmua as food-plant. A specimen taken on Betula Ititea, at 

 Wachusett, Mass., 26 August, 1882, pupated 30 August, and the imago appeared 12 

 June, 1883. This larva, which also ate Betula alba, did not entirely agree in colora- 

 tion with Saunders's description. 



38. Apatela hetulte Riley. 



An interesting and easily recognized species of the genus Apatela 

 has been reared from the black birch by Prof. C. V. Riley, who pub 

 lished the following account of its habits and peculiarities in the Bul- 

 letin Brooklyn Entomological Society, vol. vii, May, 1884 : 



It is a strongly marked species. In some of the paler specimens there is a sugges- 

 tion of olivaceous ; while the darker specimens have more uniformly gray primaries 

 with the strongly relieved transverse anterior pale line, and brown reniform spot 

 and subterminal space as the most prominent features. 



Fig. 116.— Apatela hetulce: a, larva, dorsal view; /, imago, nat. size; 6, a middle segment of larva, 

 dorsal view ; c, do., side view; d, portion of larval skin siiowing spinose covering; e, cremaster of 

 pupa with spines, dorsal view. 



The larva while young is found on the leaves and corresponds thereto in general 

 color. After the last molt it rests stretched on the thickest branches of the tree and 

 is fond of hiding in dark recesses. For pupation it forms a slight cocoon either among 

 leaves or in old wood on the ground, or on the trunk of the tree. There are two 



