II 



EGGS AND CATERPILLARS 



WHEN we began studying moths and caterpillars 

 we knew that these caterpillars hatched from 

 eggs, ate for a time, then became pupae, — either in 

 cocoons or out of them, — and finally emerged as moths 

 which mated and laid eggs for another brood. The 

 eggs were the last form which we found, but we shall 

 begin our account of the structure and development 

 of the moth with the egg because it is the first stage of 

 the individual. 



Most of our sphingid moths, often called hawk- 

 moths, lay small, green, ovoid or globular eggs, and 

 place them singly on a leaf, twig, tendril, or among 

 flower-buds. These eggs usually become yellow or 

 yellow- white before hatching, and have shells so trans- 

 parent that the larvae may be seen, curled up in them, 

 for a day or two before they eat their way out. 



Most of our large satur'niids lay opaque white eggs, 

 often stained with the brown gummy substance which 

 fastens them to the leaf or twig, and these eggs usually 

 turn lead-colored before hatching. Some of these 

 moths lay their eggs in a row of two or more close 

 together, or in two or more rows. Sometimes there 

 are so many rows that they make a mat, as we have 



8 



