ORDER IV. MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. 173 



their habits, and can easily be found at home, as they all 

 go out to their meals regularly at nine A.M., then return 

 toward mid-day, and go out again at three o'clock P.M., 

 and return as soon as they have eaten. This destructive 

 insect is found in all parts of the Union, and people having 

 gardens or orchards should be careful to prevent its rav- 

 ages by destroying it in season. 



The WOOD-TENT CATERPILLAR (Clisiocampa sylvatica) is 

 another not less noxious insect, gaining its own livelihood 

 in the same destructive manner upon walnut and oak trees, 

 although it is not unfrequently found also upon apple and 

 cherry trees. When full grown, in June, it is about two 

 inches long. Its head and body are light blue, and its sides 

 somewhat of a greenish color. It makes its cocoon and 

 webs in the same manner as the preceding ones, and some- 

 times destroys whole orchards and large tracts of forests. 



The moths are of a dark-brown color, and its wings ex- 

 pand about one and a half inches. 



The webs of these two species of caterpillars are made 

 of the finest silk, and if properly collected and spun it could 

 be manufactured into- fine silk stockings or gloves a profit- 

 able amusement for the ladies spending the summer in the 

 country. 



Span-ii'orms. 



The Span-worms are little caterpillars, very injurious to 

 vegetation, but quite harmless to man, although they are 

 very annoying to all who walk through our orchards or 

 parks during the month of June, by swinging against the 

 face as they hang on the silken thread by which they let 

 themselves down to the ground from the trees. The parks 

 and promenades of our large cities New York, Philadel- 

 phia, Boston, etc. abound with them, and they really af- 

 ford a serious inconvenience to promenaders, and not un- 

 frequently cause considerable fear to the timid upon whom 



