aE ae ee Pen ET SE 
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FT Te ge eI 
- 1905] NATURE STuDY—No. 29. 16 
numbers in the salt-marshes about Boston, and was then given 
the above popular name. It is not, however, we now know, 
restricted to salt marshes, and the name is therefore misleading. 
This Woolly-bear, which is widely distributed throughout the 
United States and Canada, is noticed particularly in flower and 
vegetable gardens. It is a general feeder and seems to be 
Satisfied with almost any low growing plant. When mature it 
measures about 24 inches in length, and has a dark body with 
yellow markings along the sides. The hairs on the body are 
slender and mostly reddish or reddish-brown. 
This caterpillar becomes full grown in autumn, and the win- 
ter is passed in a different state from the preceding species, viz., 
as a pupa, inside a cocoon. This cocoon is much the same as 
ti.at of the Hedgehog Caterpillar, only a little larger; it is form- 
ed in any convenient place where shelter can be obtained. To- 
wards the end of May, and during June, the perfect moths appear 
and often come to lights at night. The female moth is a beautiful 
insect. The wings are pure white, spotted with black, us is also 
the body, excepting the central abdominal segments above, which 
are orange. The male differs from the female in being slightly 
smaller and in having the two hind wings bright buff yellow. The 
under-side of the wings are also buff yellow. The male moth is 
shown in the figure. 
THe YELLOW WOOLLY-REAR, Diacrista virginica, Fab.—Occur- 
ring also in gardens, feeding on many low plants, and 
even sometimes eat- 
ing the foliage of 
trees, is another hairy 
caterpillar, called the fm ee 7; 
Yellow Woolly-bear. { < AT 4 yy) m 
= < eet 
This kind resembles . Loi a 
very much immature 
specimens of the Salt- 
marsh Caterpillar, but 
differs in not being so 
large when full grown, 
the hairs being shor- 
er, and the body not 
so dark. It also lacks the distinct yellow markings on the sides. 
Although called the Yellow Woolly-bear trom the colour of the 
hairs of the majority of the caterpillars which were first studied, 
Yellow Woolly-bear, pupa and moth. 
