THE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



21 1 



banded with black and white, while along the sides of the abdomen 

 are five large yellow spots. The grapevine hog caterpillar (Am- 

 pelophaga myroti) is typical of a series of species in which the 

 caudal horn of the larva is lost and replaced by an eyespot ; the 

 first two thoracic segments are much smaller and, with the head, 



FIG. 333. Southern tobacco-worm. (Natural size) 

 (After Britton) 



are retracted into the metathorax. This has given some one the 

 idea that they resemble fat porkers, hence the name " hog cater- 

 pillars." This larva is common on the grape and woodbine and is 

 about two inches long, with a row of seven reddish or lilac spots set 

 on a yellow background along the middle of the back, and a white 



stripe down each side, below 

 which are seven oblique stripes. 

 It is quite variable in color 

 and is very commonly infested 

 with braconid parasites (see 

 page 251), whose cocoons are 

 frequently found covering the 

 caterpillars. Some of the 

 smaller moths of this family 

 have the wings nearly bare 

 of scales, like the clear-winged 

 moths, and, like them, fly around flowers during the day. The larger 

 ones are often called humming-bird hawk-moths, while the smaller 



FIG. 334. A clear-winged sphinx moth, or 

 bee-moth (Hemaris thysbe) 



