WOOD-NYMPH MOTHS. 67 
other segments. In the middle segments of the body each 
orange band contains eight black conical elevated tubercles, 
from each of which grows a white hair. A lateral white 
wavy band, obsolete on the thoracic segments, but very 
conspicuous on the tenth and eleventh, is a very character- 
istic feature of this caterpillar. The very young worms are 
whitish, with brown transverse lines; they feed beneath the 
leaves, and can let themselves down by a silken thread; the 
full grown larve also often conceal themselves within a 
folded leaf. The larva becomes nearly an inch and a half in 
length; when full grownit bores into any soft, rotten, oreven 
almost sound wood, and if such material should be lacking 
it transforms to a pupa within a very slight cocoon formed 
without silk upon or just below the surface of the earth. 
With us this species is single brooded and passes the winter 
in the pupal stage. 
This insect occurs frequently in such numbers upon the 
beautiful Virginia creepers adorning verandas that not a 
leaf is left, and the plant be- 
comes just the opposite from 
what it was intended to be. 
This happens frequently in 
our larger cities, and of course 
should not bethecase. As the 
caterpillars feed more or less 
exposed they can easily be 
seen and destroyed by the use 
of Paris-green or London-pur- 
Fig 66.—Alypia octomaculata Hbn.; ple. If people object to the 
a, caterpillar; b, one segment of the 4 
same c,adult. After Riley. use of these poisons they 
should use a spray composed of two ounces of pyrethrum 
to a gallon of water. If used as long as the caterpillars are 
still young all injuries to the ornamental plants and the 
grape-vines can be prevented. 
This beautiful moth is illustrated in Figs. 64, 65 and 70 
on Plates X and XI, and also in Fig. 66. 
