196 



THE GRAPE CIJLTUEIST. 



often infests old vines in great numbers. It not only de- 

 vours the leaves, but seems to delight in cutting off 

 the grapes from the bunches and letting them fall. The 

 ground under the vines will often be covered with green 

 grapes which have been cut loose by these little cater- 

 pillars. 



The moths of some of the Philampeli are very beautiful, 

 and on this account they are seldom destroyed ; the largest 



expand their wings some 

 four or five inches. Fig. 

 77 shows one of these 

 moths, and Fig. 78 the 

 pupa of the same. They 



are rather slow on the wing, their large bodies seem to be 

 loo heavy even for their large wings. They usually make 

 their appearance in June. About 

 the same time the moth of the At- 

 tacus Cecropia makes its appearance. 

 It is very large, and the markings 

 upon its wings are exceedingly deli- 

 cate and beautiful. The caterpillar of 

 which this moth is the parent is one 

 of the largest of the garden. It often 

 measures four inches in length, is of 

 a pale green color, and is covered with 

 large warts those on the back near 

 the head are red, the others are yel- 

 low, except one row, the whole length 

 of the body on each side, which is 

 blue. It does not feed on the vine 

 in preference to other plants, but if 

 it meets a young vine it is very 

 likely to strip it before it passes on. 

 When it obtains its full growth it 

 retires to some shrub and there en- 

 velops itself in its cocoon. Fig. 79 



