THE JUNIPER BASKET-WORM. 909 



angle of the line and re-appearing on the hinder edge of the apex of the wing ia 

 much as above. On the hind wings the line ia straight, broader than on the fore 

 wings, and extends upon the costa. The body is half an inch (.50) in length, and a 

 fore wing measures .65 of an inch in length, both together expanding 1.30 inchea. 



5. The juniper basket-worm. 



Thyridopteryx ephemerceformis (Ha worth). 



Order Lepidoptera ; family Psychid^. 



Feeding sometimes in great numbers on the juniper and the white cedar, a worm 

 living in a large case, 1 to 2 inches long, covered with bits of twigs, the female wing- 

 less and worm-like ; the male dark brown, with small hyaline wings. 



The cases of this remarkable worm we have fouud on the juniper tree 

 in Virginia, and according to Harris it sometimes abounds so as to be 

 very destructive to the white cedar {Gupressus thujoides) in lawns. The 

 following brief account is taken from my " Guide to the Study of In- 

 sects : " 



The male of the basket-worm is stout-bodied, with broadly pectinated antennae 

 and a long abdomen, the anal forceps and the adjoining parts being capable of 

 unusual extension in order to reach the oviduct of the female, which is wingleas, 

 cylindrical, and in its general form closely resembles its larva, and does not leave ita 

 case. On being hatched from the egga, which are, ao far aa known to us, not ex- 

 truded from ita case by the parent, the young larvas immediately build little elon- 

 gated basket-like shallow conical cases of bits of twigs of the cedar, and may then 

 be seen walking about, tail in the air, this tail or abdomen covered by the incipient 

 case, and presenting a comical sight. The ciise of the full-grown larva is elongated, 

 oval cylindrical, and the fleshy larva transforms within it, while it shelters the 

 female through life. 



Mrs. King writes to Psyche (iii, p. 241) that near Dallas, Tex., hundreds 

 of cedar trees may be seen stripped of all foliage and killed by this 

 insect, with their branches laden with its cases. It sometimes feeds on 

 the scrub oak. The female in Texas finishes her transformations from 

 the middle of March to the middle of May. The larvae may be found 

 at all seasons and in various stages of growth. The eggs mature in 

 three, six, or eight weeks, according to the season, the young larvsB 

 appearing by the latter part of June. I have observed the cases of 

 CEceticus abbotii on the cypress at Enterprise, Fla. 



As a remedy hand-picking is an easy and thorough means of getting 

 rid of these creatures if abundant enough to be annoying; or the trees 

 may be sprayed. 



The following insects also occur on this juniper : 



6. Incisalia niphon (Scudder). 



7. Mitura danion (Scudder). 



8. Papilio troilus Linn. On Juniperus sabiniana (Scudder). 

 S. Eacles imperialis (Drury). Gentry (Can. Ent., vi, 87.) 



