Sphingidae 



Genus DARAPSA Walker 



We include in this genus three species, all of which 

 occur within our territory, and all of which we figure upon 

 our plates. 



(1) Darapsa pholus Cramer, Plate III, Fig. 3, $ . (The 

 Azalea Sphinx.) 



Syn. choerilus Cramer; azaleas Abbot & Smith; clorinda Martyn. 



This medium-sized hawkmoth, which is one of our com- 

 monest species in western Pennsylvania, may easily be distin- 

 guished from its very near ally, D. myron, by its reddish color. 

 The caterpillar feeds upon Viburnum and Azalea. 



(2) Darapsa myron Cramer, Plate III, Fig. 4, $ . (The 

 Hog Sphinx.) 



Syn. pampinatrix Abbot & Smith; cnoius Hiibner. 

 The caterpillar, of which we give a figure, feeds upon wild 

 and domestic grape-vines, and also upon the Virginia Creeper. 



It is a very common 

 insect in the Atlantic 

 States, and ranges as 

 far west as Kansas and 

 Iowa. It has been re- 

 garded as injurious to 

 vineyards, but the 

 damage done is incon- 

 siderable, and the in- 

 sec t s can easily be 

 combated by picking 

 off the larvae from the 

 vines and crushing 

 them under foot. The 

 reason why these in- 

 sects do comparatively 

 small damage is per- 

 haps found in the fact that they appear to be especially subject 

 to the attacks of a small hymenopterous parasite, belonging to 

 the family Ichneumonidce. The female ichneumon-fly deposits 

 her eggs upon the epidermis of the young caterpillar. As soon 

 as the eggs hatch, the grub penetrates the body of the caterpillar 

 and feeds upon the fatty tissues lying just under the skin. 



68 



FIG. 29. Larva of D. myron. 

 (After Riley.) 



