48 THe Ottawa NarTuRAList. [May 
POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY, 
Hautsipota Tussock Morus. 
By ARTHUR GIBSON, : ; 
Among the insects which occur at Ottawa more or less com- 
monly every season, are three different kinds of arctian moths 
belonging to the genus /Halisidota. They are all of about the 
same size, measuring, when the wings have been expanded, from 
one and a half to two inches, and not one of the three would 
probably ever be picked out in a collection of insects as being 
specially attractive, or as possessing any particular or striking 
beauty. In the realm of nature, however, it is by no means only 
the so-called attractive or beautiful objects that are studied ; all 
have their place in this interesting world of ours, and even the 
smallest or most inconspicuous-looking insect will be found 
worthy of some thought and investigation biologically. 
' The genus Halisidota, according to the latest revision, is not 
an extensive one in North America, there being only eight species 
found north of Mexico. The majority of these are southern or 
western in range, but, as above stated, three of them, viz., 4. 
tessellaris, S. & A., H. maculata, Harr., and A. carye, Harr., 
may be found in the Ottawa district almost any season. 
The moths of these three species emerge from their cocoons ‘ 
during the month of June, and, being nocturnal in habit, only fly 
at night. Like all insects they vary in numbers with the seasons. 
Some years the moths are noticeably abundant, others the reverse, 
but, as a rule, these insects may be collected any season in either 
the larval or adult states of their existence. 
The perfect insects, as is the case with hundreds of other kinds 
of moths, are attracted to lights, and everyone has noticed on 
warm, close evenings, during the months of June and July, the 
swarms of insects of all kinds which fly around the electric lights, 
particularly those in the outskirts of cities and towns. The 
attraction which these arc lights have for insects is well known to 
the entomologist, and anyone desirous of securing moths for study 
can easily collect ample material during almost any warm evening 
from May till October. 
