THE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



213 



alternating with seven darker, almost blackish 

 lines, with two prominent black horns on the 

 thorax and a double row of short, thick spines 

 along each side of the body. The moths are 

 pale yellow banded with rose color, and are fre- 

 quently taken at lights. Nearly related species, 

 whose larvae are brownish with orange markings 

 and similar black spines, attack the oak foliage. 

 The lo moth (Automeris io) is one of the larger 

 forms, with a wing expanse of nearly three 

 inches, the fore-wings of the males being a 

 brilliant yellow color and those of the female a 

 dark purplish, both having a large eyespot on the 

 center of the hind- wings. The full-grown larva 

 is about two inches long, yellowish-green, with a 

 broad brown or reddish stripe, edged with white, 

 along either side, thickly covered with black- 

 tipped, branched spines which are decidedly 

 FIG. 336. The green- po i sonous> The polyphemus moth (Telea poly- 



stnped maple-worm r . r ^ \ j " 



(Anisota riibicunda] phemus) is one of our largest and handsomest 

 species, expanding from four to five inches. 

 It is of a yellowish or brownish color, with a dusky band, 

 edged without with pink along the margins of both wings, and 

 with a prominent eyespot at the middle of each wing, those on 

 the hind-wings 

 being bordered 

 by a large bluish 

 patch. The lar- 

 vae feed on oak 

 and various fruit 

 and shade trees ; 

 they are three 

 inches or more 

 in length, of 

 a bright green 

 color, with an 



oblique yellow FIG. 337. The Io moth, female. (Natural size) 



line on the side (After Lugger) 



