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SPHINXES. 55 
Sphinx kalmice expands about four inches, and is buff and rust-red 
in color, with reddish-brown markings streaking the upper wings. 
It is not a rare insect, and may be taken early in the season about 
Sphinx drupiferarum, 
the lilac blossoms. The larva is pale green with oblique bands of 
yellow on the sides, edged above with black and blue. It feeds on 
the leaves of the lilac and laurel. 
A plainly tinted but gracefully shaped insect is Chloerocampa tersa. 
In this moth the body is long and tapering, ending in a tuft of hairs. 
The upper wings are long, narrow and pointed, while the lower pair 
is small in proportion. Its body is tan with a yellowish stripe on 
either side, and the thorax and head is brown with a light gray band 
also on the side. The upper wings are light brown crossed diagonally 
with numerous brown lines. The lower wings are black margined 
with brown, with arow of light yellow spots extending above the 
brown margin. This insect is more plentiful in the southern parts of 
the country, and is rather common in Washington, D.C., where about 
the electric lights they may frequently be taken in July and August. 
One of our earliest sphinx moths to be seen in the spring is 
Thyreus abbotti. The lilac blossoms are very attractive to this species, 
and ona May evening it may be seen hovering about the clusters of 
flowers. It is not very shy, and may be easily taken with the net. 
The general color of the moth is dark purphsh-brown. The fore wings 
are crossed by numerous black lines, while a broad band of black and 
