3 T 4 THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



be used even in vineyards in the East, as the application 

 would have to be made early in the season, and the sum- 

 mer rains would wash the poison from the vines. The 

 pupa state is passed either in an earthen cell or in a very 

 slight cocoon. 



The family is one of limited extent ; less than thirty 

 North American species are known. The larger number of 

 these occur in the far West or in the Gulf States. The 

 following are the most common species :— 



The Eight-spotted Forester, Alypia octomaculata (A-lyp'- 

 i-a oc-to-mac-u-la'ta). — This species is of a deep velvety-black 



color. The front wings have two lar^e 

 sulphur-yellow spots ; and the hind wings, 

 two white spots (Fig. 380). The figure 

 represents a male ; the female is some- 

 what larger. The patagia are sulphur- 



Fig. 380. — Alypia octo- ° r ° ~ 



macuuta. yellow. The legs are black with orange- 



colored scales on the tibiae of the first and second pairs. 

 The larva (Fig. 381) feeds upon the leaves of grape and Vir- 

 ginia-creeper, and sometimes occurs in^such large numbers 

 as to do serious injury. The ground-color of the larva is 

 white, with eight black stripes on each segment, and a 



FlG. 381. — Alypia octomaculata, larva. 



broader orange band, bounded by the two middle stripes ; 

 the orange bands are marked by black, conical, elevated 

 spots. There are usually two broods each year, the moths 

 appearing on the wing in May and August, the caterpillars 

 in June and July, and in September. The pupa state is 

 passed in an earthen cell in the ground. 



Langton's Forester, Alypia langtonii (A. lang-to'ni-i), 

 resembles the preceding species in general appearance, but 



