ORDER IV. MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 



169 



The Busty Vapor Moth. 



Figure 43. 



(Fig. 43) is quite handsome, and is seen during the summer, 

 Figure 42 generally on rose-bushes or on ap- 



ple-trees. Its slender body, about 

 one inch long, is covered with long, 

 fine, yellow hairs, and is orna- 

 mented at each extremity with 

 two brush-like, yellowish tufts, 

 while its head is as red as sealing- 

 wax. The motions of these cater- 

 pillars are very slow, and they eat but very little ; but if 

 they are numerous on apple-trees, they injure them by spin- 

 ning their cocoons upon 

 the leaves, fastening 

 their eggs upon them, 

 and so destroying the 

 vitality of the tree. 



Great caution should 

 be used in handling these 

 caterpillars, as its hairs 

 sting like nettles. When 

 full grown they spin 

 their tender cocoons 

 upon a loaf, from which 

 the perfect moth issues 

 in less than two weeks. 

 The female moth, how- 

 ever, is wingless, and 

 deposits her eggs upon 

 her own empty cocoon, 

 which she then covers 

 with a white fluid sub- 

 stance, which, when 

 dry, becomes scaly and 



brittle. Caterpillar of Eusty Vapor Moth. 



H 



