218 



THE GKAPE CULTURIST. 



There are several other species of these sphinges 

 which are occasionally found on the vines ; among the 

 most common I may name the Hog caterpillar (Chcero- 

 compa pampinatrix), and the Achemon Sphinx (Philam- 

 pelus achemon), and the Abbot Sphinx ( Thyreus Abbotii) ; 

 the latter, however, attacks the Virginia Creeper (Am- 

 pelopsis quinquefolia) , in preference to the cultivated 

 grape. All the caterpillars of the sphinx-moths are so 

 large that they are readily seen by 

 the time they begin to do much 

 damage to the leaves, and should 

 then be picked off and killed. 



The Cecropia Moth (Pla- 

 tysamia Cecropia). This is our 

 largest native moth, the larvae of 

 which feeds on the grapevine ; but, 

 fortunately, it prefers the currant, 

 gooseberry and other shrubs, to the 

 grape, but attacks the latter when 

 more agreeable food is not abundant. 

 These moths have a spread of wing 

 from five to six inches, Fig. 88, and 

 their general color is of a dusky 

 brown, with hinder margins clay- 

 colored ; near the middle of each of 

 the wings there is an opaque, kidney- 

 shaped dull red spot, having a white 

 center and a narrow black edging ; 

 and beyond the spot a wavy, dull 

 red band, bordered internally with 

 white ; the fore wings, next to the shoulders, are dull 

 red, with a curved white band ; and near the tips of the 

 same is an eye-like black spot, within a bluish-white 

 crescent. The caterpillar, when young, is of a deep yel- 

 low color, with rows of minute black warts on its back. 

 When it comes to full size, late in summer, it measures 



FIG. 89. 



