128 MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 
among the lower grass stems or under stones, and there makes its 
hairy brown cocoon, in which it passes the winter in a chrysalis state. 
A pleasingly-tinted little moth is Phragmatobia rubricosa. The 
upper wings and thorax are pinkish-brown, the lower wings reddish- 
pink with brown margins, and the abdomen is red with a row of 
small brown dots on either side, with another row down the back. 
The wings are so thinly clothed with scales as to be almost trans- 
parent. The larva is unknown to me. 
An insect well known to almost every one is the brown and black 
hairy caterpillar covered with stiff short bristles all about the 
Larva of Pyrrharctia isabella. 
same length, which rolls itself into a round ball when disturbed. 
This creature feeds on a variety of herbaceous plants, and may be 
seen in the fall actively engaged in seeking a suitable place for 
its winter hibernation; for, unlike the larvee of most lepidopterous 
insects, it passes the winter in the caterpillar state and may some- 
times be found on mild days in the winter crawling over the snow. 
Pyrrharetia isabella. 
As soon as vegetation starts in the spring it begins feeding, and 
makes its hairy cocoon under boards, stones and the like in April or 
May, whence it emerges a moth in June or July. This moth is 
Pyrrharctia isabella, and is of a tawny yellow or dull tan color, 
having a number of brownish spots on its wings and body. 
