174 MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



defined. Tliis butterfly inluibits the southern states, and is some- 

 times seen as far nortli as New York. It is a common insect in 

 Florida, the larva feeding on various garden plants, such as beans, 

 peas, cabbages, etc., and often doing considerable damage. 



We may often find on the locust trees the nests of the larv?e of 

 our beautiful EudcDiius tityrus. These caterpillars, although often 

 quite common, are solitary in their habits, each one making its sep- 

 arate cell in which it resides during the daytime, coming forth to 

 feed at night. Tlie caterpillar is light green, banded across with 

 lines of darker green, having a reddish-brown head, with two large 

 yellow spots placed where one would expect the eyes to be. These, 

 with the monstrous size of tlie head, give the creature a very peculiar 

 appearance. When full giown. the caterpillar s[)ins a thin, silken 

 cocoon, usually in a curled leaf, and attacliing itself by the tail, with 

 a thread of silk about its body, undergoes its transformations. 'J'iie 

 butterfly comes forth in June and July, and is to be found about 

 flowering slu'ubs and weeds in open country, being seldom seen in 

 forests. Along l)rooks or the l)orders of [)onds are favorite haunts of 

 this butterfly. It is a rapid flyer, and is somewliat sliy, although one 

 may approacli it closely if care be taken. I have in mind one locality 

 near Lebanon, Ohio, where along the baidcs of a brook this insect Avas 

 veiy abundant, every bunch of flowering weeds having its occupants, 

 the briglit, silvery spot on the under side of the lower wings glisten- 

 ing as they moved aljout in the sunlight. This butterfly has a ver}^ 

 wide range, being found over nearly all })ortions of the United States. 



Eudainus lycidas. Upper side. 



Another insect, closely resembling the preceding both in size and 

 the coloring of the upper surface, is Eudmmts lycidas. It is a little 



