THE CECROPIA MOTH. 



REST H. METCALF, 



THE cecropia, a lepidopterous in- 

 sect of the family Bonibycidia, 

 is the largest and most beauti- 

 ful of our American moths. It 

 is quite generally distributed through- 

 out the United States. 



The large wings, measuring from five 

 to six inches, are covered with dusky 

 brown scales, the borders richly varie- 

 gated and beautifully marked, the an- 

 terior ones having near the tops a dark 

 spot resembling an eye, and both pairs 

 of wings having kidney-shaped red 

 spots. 



The caterpillar or larva is nearly as 

 beautiful in color as the perfect moth, 

 being about three inches long, of a 

 light green color with coral red, yellow 

 and blue warts with short black bristles 

 near its head. It feeds on the leaves 

 of nearly every species of forest fruit 

 and shade trees, till late in August or 

 September; then it descends from the 

 trees to seek some shrub upon which 

 to fasten its winter home. Occasionally 

 they will be satisfied with a location in 

 a tree-top, but not often. 



This home building is exceedingly 

 interesting, and although you can 

 watch them only for a few hours you 

 still linger near and imagine what you 

 cannot see. 



When the right location is found it 

 spins a very strong thread for the out- 

 side, fastening it securely to a small 

 branch, and going back and forth with 

 this strong silk until it assumes its 

 proper shape and proportion. You will 

 find it almost impossible to tear it open 

 with your fingers, and only a sharp 

 knife will enable you to see the con- 

 tents. This strong outside is necessary 

 for protection, as the woodpeckers are 

 very fond of the larva and imago. 

 After this strong outside is completed 



the silk is woven very loosely between 

 it and the cocoon proper. This serves 

 as a blanket for warmth, so that the 

 baby moth is as safe from severe win- 

 ter cold and storms as a baby child in 

 its cradle. 



The inner room of this home or the 

 cocoon proper is made of very fine silk, 

 which can be readily reeled off, and we 

 are told that it has been carded and 

 spun and knit into stockings that 

 washed like linen, and that cloth woven 

 from this silk is much more durable 

 than that made by the silk worm. 



But for the delicate character of the 

 larvse, which are very difficult to raise, 

 it would become an important article 

 of commerce. 



The inside of this cocoon is as 

 smooth as satin and the larva after 

 changing to the proper state is glossy 

 black, from one and a half inches to 

 two inches in length. As the time 

 draws near for the great change to the 

 beautiful moth, the pupa grows very 

 soft and, moistening the smaller end of 

 the cocoon with a secretion prepared 

 for this use, comes forth with damp, 

 small wings, which as they dry out de- 

 velop into the regular size of the beau- 

 tiful moth, leaving a round hole in the 

 cocoon where both the outer and inner 

 cocoon were woven less closely and 

 strong than any other portion. 



In New England the cecropia may 

 be found in the month of June. 



Often the larva uses a leaf in form- 

 ing the outside, and after a leaf dies 

 and is blown away the impress of the 

 veins remains, making such a pretty 

 cocoon. You can easily find them dur- 

 ing the winter months, when the trees 

 are bare, if you keep a sharp watch 

 for them. 



223 



