250 



THE APPLE CULTUMIST. 



Fig. 93. 



large miller, called the Amer- 

 ican Lackey-moth, of a yel- 

 lowish brown color, represent- 

 ed by Fig. 93, which is often 

 seen flying about among fruit- 

 trees during the latter part of 

 summer or in September, in 

 our latitude. The American 

 Lackey-moth, when fully de- 

 veloped, measures about one 



Moth of the American Tent-caterpillar inch and a half from tip to 

 male and female. 



tip of the expanded wings. 



It is usually of a pale brick color ; but individuals are oc- 

 casionally seen much darker, or of an ashy-brown color. 

 Across the fore wings are two straight, oblique whitish 

 lines. The antennae are moderately pectinate, or feather- 

 like, in the male, and very slightly so in the female. The 

 hollow tongue, or sucker, through which insects of this or- 

 der imbibe their nutriment, is wholly wanting in this spe- 

 cies, as, indeed, it is generally in the particular group to 

 which it belongs. Their short lives have but one object 

 the pairing of the sexes and the deposition of the eggs by 

 the female for a future generation. The following exper- 

 iment illustrates some of their habits : Three female moths 

 were inclosed in a glass vessel. They were quiet during 

 the day, but became very restless as night approached, 

 showing that, like the moths in general, they are nocturnal 

 in their habits. On the third day, a twig of an apple-tree 

 was introduced into the vessel. The moths immediately 

 ran up upon it, and put themselves in position for laying 

 their eggs. This was accomplished in the following man- 

 ner : Placing herself transversely upon the side of the twig, 

 she curved her abdomen under the twig, and extended it 

 up the opposite side as far as she could reach, and com- 



