INSECTS AFFECTING PARK A.NU WOODLAND TKEF.S 



'59 



spilled, black, red spotted cateri)illars may not he known to man)'. 'I'liis 

 insect was present in ^reat nunihtTs in various sections of the State in 1899 

 when its dejjredations oji ehns led to considerable complaint. It not only 

 feeds on elms but occasionally it is so abundant as to literally strip acres of 

 poplars. 



Description. The parent insect is a magnificent dark maroon butterfly 

 with blue spotted, black and yellow bordered wings which have an expanse 

 of about 3 inches [see pi. 10, tig. i 1 |. The under surface of the wings 

 presents a striking contrast, being a dark bluish black and brown intermi.xed 

 with some yellowish gray. The yellow border of the upper surface is rep- 

 resented by a brown specked gray with a little dull yellow. The color of 

 the under surface of the wings is somewhat variable l)ut it is remarkable for 

 its protective value. The butterfly with its closed wings frequently appears 

 much like a scale of loosened moss or a bit of brownish or black vegetable 

 matter. The yellowish eight or nine ribbed eggs which soon turn reddish 

 and finally black just before hatching are deposited in a band or a nearly 

 complete one around a twig, as shown at figure 7 on plate 10, one egg much 

 enlarged being represented at figure 8. This shows not only the larger 

 ribs but the transverse markings between them. The dot beside the egg 

 represents its natural size. The recently hatched caterpillars are brown, 

 black and hairy and as they increase in size the other characteristics shown 

 at figure 9 on plate 10 become more apparent. The full grown caterpillar is 

 about 2 inches long, black and armed with numerous short branched spines. 

 Along the back there is a row of somewhat diamond shaped red spots and 

 closer examination shows the caterpillar to be marked with transverse rows 

 of minute white spots. The abdominal prolegs are reddish. The chrysalis 

 is a peculiar, angular looking structure which is variable in color and in 

 nature it usually harmonizes pretty closely with surrounding objects. It is 

 represented at figure 10 on plate 10. 



Life history. Strange though it may seem, this apparently delicate 

 butterfly successfully withstands the rigors of our northern winters with no 

 better shelter than that afforded by a crevice among stones, a sheltering 



