THE MILK-WEED CATERPILLAR. 359 



E. Smith, which is found in the Southern States, and agrees 

 with our weaver in habits. From the foregoing account of 

 the habits and transformations of the fall web-worm, or 

 Hyphantria textor? it is evident that the only time in which 

 we can attempt to exterminate these destructive insects with 

 any prospect of success is when they are young and just be- 

 ginning to make their webs on the trees. So soon, then, as 

 the webs begin to appear on the extremities of the branches, 

 they should be stripped off, with the few leaves which they 

 cover, and the caterpillars contained therein, at one grasp, 

 and should be crushed under foot. 



There are many kinds of hairy caterpillars in Massachu- 

 setts, differing remarkably from those of the other Arctians, 

 and resembling in some respects 

 those belonging to the next tribe, 

 with which they appear to con- 

 nect the true Arctians. The first 

 of these are little party-colored 

 tufted caterpillars (Fig. 172), 



which may be found in great plenty on the common milk- 

 weed, Asclepias Syriaca^ during the latter part of July and 

 the whole of August. Although the plants on which these 

 insects live are generally looked upon as weeds and cumber- 

 ers of the soil, yet the insects themselves are deserving of 

 notice, on account of their singularity, and the place that 

 they fill in the order to which they belong. They keep to- 

 gether in companies, side by side, beneath the leaves, their 

 heads all turned towards the edge of the leaf while they are 

 eating, and when at rest they arch up the fore part of the 

 body and bend down the head, which is then completely con- 

 cealed by long overhanging tufts of hairs, and if disturbed 

 they jerk their heads and bodies in a very odd way. These 

 harlequin caterpillars have sixteen legs, which, with the head, 

 are black. Their bodies are black also, with a whitish line 

 on each side, and are thickly covered with short tufts of hairs 



[20 Uypiiantriii lextor is Sjnlosoma lextw. Mourns.] 



