i8 



THE INSECT RECORD FOR I9OO 



also see small white specks which through a lens looked like 

 bits of fine spun silk. The author of all this injury was a tiny 

 caterpillar, so minute as commonly to be overlooked. It has 

 been called the Birch Leaf Buccui.atrix^ from the name of 

 the genus to which it belongs, but a better common name would 

 be Birch Leaf Skeletonizer. The little white objects on 

 the leaves were temporary cocoons built by the caterpillars for 

 protection during moulting, and consequently called moulting 

 cocoons. The insect when full grown makes a regular cocoon 

 in which it changes to a pupa to change later to a tiny moth. 

 Spraying with arsenate of lead when the injury first appears 

 would probably prove an effective remedy in case of a few 

 ornamental trees. The appearance of the injured leaves is 

 shown in Fig. 1 1. 



Among the interesting insects bred during the season was the 

 beautiful Hunter's Butterfly,'^ also called the Painted Lady. 



The caterpillar of this 

 insect may be found 

 on the leaves and 

 among the blossom 

 heads of the com- 

 mon tall Everlasting.* 

 They have the pecu- 

 liar habit of making 

 protective cases by 

 gnawing off'the wool- 

 ly hairs of the food- 

 pi ant and binding 

 them together with 

 silken threads. The 

 caterpillars remain 

 within or beneath 

 these cases, feeding 

 on the substance of 

 the leaves. As they 

 approach maturity they frequently web together the upper 

 leaves and the flower heads to make a sort of airy cell in the 



^Biicciilatrix canadensisella Chambers. 



"^Pyrameis hiititera Fabricius. 



3A plant of the genus Gnaphaliiim. 



Fig. 8.— Caterpillar of Hunter's Butterfly. 



