208 



ELEMENTARY ENTOMOLOGY 





(Pyrrharctia Isabella), whose hairy larva is reddish-brown in the 

 middle and black at either end. It does but little harm, but is the 



species commonly 

 seen on. walks in 

 fall and spring, so 

 that it is well 

 known. The fall 

 web-worm is the 

 common caterpil- 

 lar which covers 

 our fruit trees 

 with its unsightly 

 webs in late sum- 

 mer. The moths 

 are pure white or 

 spotted with black. 

 The caterpillars 

 vary from yellow- 

 ish to blackish, 

 with darker lines 

 and spots, and are 

 covered with long 

 hairs. Most of 

 the caterpillars of 

 this family feed on 

 low-growing vege- 

 tation and weeds ; 

 several now and 

 then become over- 

 abundant and at- 

 tack garden crops. 



FIG. 329. The fall web-worm. (All slightly enlarged) 



<7, light form of full grown larva ; l>, dark form of same ; <:, pupa ; 

 ff, spotted form of moth. (After Howard, United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture) 



The hawk-moths (Sphingidae) are sometimes called humming- 

 bird moths, for the larger species are fully as large as a humming 

 bird, with three to five inches wing expanse, and are frequently 

 found hovering over petunias and similar flowers on warm summer 

 evenings. They are easily recognized from their long, spindle- 

 shaped bodies, strong, narrow wings, and thick, prismatic antennae, 

 which are often curved back at the tip, forming a slight hook. The 



