Some Other Large Moths 



The Id 



Not all the great and beautiful moths have caterpillars that spin 

 enough silk to entitle them to be called SiHos' onus. The common- 

 est of these is the lo which often comes to the light and flutters 

 about, looking twice as large as it really is; it can be readily 

 determined by the great round eye-spot in the center of each 

 hind wing; this is blue, broadly bordered with black and h^s a 

 fleck of white at the center; the two sexes differ in color and size; 

 the male is the smaller and has front wings of deep yellow crossed 

 by two oblique wavy lines of purplish red; the front wings of 



the female are pur- 

 plish brown ming- 

 led with gray 

 crossed with gray 

 wavy obUque lines. 

 The caterpillar of 

 the lo is very 

 striking in appear- 

 ance and of which 

 Dr. Wm. T. Harris 

 gives the following 

 description: "It 

 is of pea-green color 

 with a broad brown stripe edged below with white on each side of 

 the body; it is covered with spreading clusters of green prickles, 

 tipped with black and of tmiform length; each of these clusters 

 consists of about thirty prickles branching from a common center." 

 These prickles in all their elaborate, starry arrangement are by 

 no means for ornament solely, for they sting like nettles and are 

 a very efficient protection from intruders. Dr. Harris gives the 

 following engaging description of these insects: "When young 

 these caterpillars keep together .in httle swarms. They do not 

 spin a common web, but, when not eating, they creep under a leaf, 

 where they cluster side by side. In going from and returning to 

 their place of shelter, they move in regular files, a single cater- 

 pillar taking the lead, and followed closely by perhaps one or two 

 in single file, after which come two, side by side, close upon the 

 heels of these creep three more, the next rank consists of four, and 



Auiomeris to 



295 



