REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 1898 181 



forth. It has even been stated by Mr H. C. Raymond, of Iowa, that 

 the eggs often hatch in the autumn and that the vitahty of the larvae 

 enables them to winter successfully in that latitude. According to Riley, 

 the eggs frequently hatch during an early warm spell and before there is 

 anything for the larvae to feed upon, they subsisting for a time upon the 

 glutinous matter surrounding the eggs. At first the nests are very small 

 and afford little protection to their inmates, but as the caterpillars never 

 move without spinning a thread and frequently crawl over their tents, the 

 nests soon become much denser and aftbrd considerable shelter from the 

 weather. Many have probably noticed that the nests or tents are composed 

 of a series of layers of silk with just about room enough between for the 

 caterpillars and they may have wondered how the larvae began a new 

 layer. The explanation given by Dr Fitch is simplicity itself. During 

 fair weather the caterpillars frequently rest in numbers on the outside 

 and stray individuals may be seen crawling over their resting com- 

 panions, spinning as they go, and at the same time beginning a new 

 layer of silk. Dr Fitch states that on damp or rainy days they remain 

 in their nests, but during fair weather they usually feed for a time in the 

 morning, again in the afternoon and once during the night. These 

 habits are subject to considerable variation, being affected to a great 

 extent by the weather. As the larvae approach maturity, they forsake 

 the nests and wander singly in all directions, feeding on whatever they 

 •can. At this stage they will pupate upon the slightest provocation. More 

 than once have I put a caterpillar of this species in a box, only to find a 

 cocoon the next morning. The instinct that prompts them to wander at 

 this time is undoubtedly a wise provision for their safety, for it insures 

 their pupation in widely separated places and renders them less likely to 

 be destroyed. Early in June the cocoons of this species are spun on the 

 trunks of the trees, on the underside offence rails, under the eaves of 

 buildings and in many similar places promising shelter. An interesting 

 deviation from the general habit the caterpillars have of each spinning a 

 cocoon, is that recorded by Miss Allie C. Simonds, of Fayetteville, Ark., 

 who reported that numbers of individuals spun large irregular cocoons in 

 common, as n?any as seven or eight pupae being found crowded together 

 in one without any separating partitions {Insect life. 1895. 7:429). 

 The caterpillars transform within the cocoons to brown pupae and 

 remain in this state for about three weeks, according to Fitch and Riley. 

 Prof. Slingerland, as a result of certain trap lantern experiments, records 

 taking the mjths from June 17 to July 18, at Ithaca, N. Y., in 1889, the 

 great majority being taken between June 22 and July 5. 



