228 



Scolecocampa liburna Geyer. Rotten-log Caterpillar. 



A single caterpillar (No. 125) was taken Aug. 22 upon the slope 

 of a wooded ravine (Sta. IV, b) under the bark of a stump in an 

 early stage of decay — the sap-wood honeycombed, but the remainder 

 solid though discolored. The larva, with its characteristic excrement, 

 was found in a cell excavated in the rotten sap-wood. 



This is another species of animal which invades wood in the sap- 

 wood stage of decay and is so often associated with Philomycus 

 carolinensis, Passalus cornutus, and newly established colonies of 

 Camponotus herculeanus pennsylvanicus. The larva winters in logs, 

 as is evidenced by the fact that I found it in such situations late in fall 

 and early in spring (March 23) at Urbana, 111. The large quantity 

 of excrement often indicates the approximate location of the larva. 

 This larva has been described by Edwards and Elliot (Papilio, Vol. 

 3, p. 134. 1883). It has been found in chestnut, oak, and other kinds 

 of decaying logs. The moth is recorded in July. The pileated wood- 

 pecker, Phlceotomus pileatus, has been known to eat this caterpillar 

 (Beal, in Bull. 37, Biol. Surv., U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 34. 191 1). Smith 

 (Ann. Rep. N. Jersey State Mus., 1909, p. 471. 1910) states that the 

 larva is found in "decaying cherry, hickory, oak and chestnut 

 stumps." 



NOTODONTID.«; 



Datana angtmi G. and R. 



The caterpillar of this species was found on the valley slope (Sta. 

 IV. b) on bitternut hickory, Carya microcarpa, Aug. 20 (No. 104) ; 

 in the upland forest (Sta. IV, a) on hickory Aug. 16 (No. 65) ; and 

 at the margin of this forest Aug. 26 (No. 162). 



The food plants of the larva are walnut, hickory, linden, and birch. 

 Packard ('95, pp. ijio-iii) describes and gives figures of the larva 

 and adult. 



Nadata gibbosa Sm. and Abb. (PI. LXI, fig. 2.) 



This larva was taken on white oak. Querelas alba, in a forested 

 ravine (Sta. IV, b) Aug. 19 (No. 94) ; on leaves of the white oak, 

 upon which it had been feeding, in the upland forest (Sta. IV, a) 

 Aug. 26 (No. 169). 



Packard ('95, pp. 142-146) gives figures of this species and 

 lists as food plants, oak, birch, and sugar plum. It is also reported 

 on maple. 



Heterocampa guttivitta Walk ( ?). (PI. LXI, figs. 3 and 5-) 



This larva (No. 127) was captured Aug. 22 by a digger- 

 wasp, Ammophila abbreznata Fabr. which was found dragging it 

 along the ground in the upland forest (Sta. IV, a). See Packard 



