IpO 



INSECT LIFE. 



Fig. 153. — Larva of the io-moth. 



The larva (Fig. 153) is one that the student should 

 learn to recognize in order that he may avoid han- 

 dling it, for it is armed with spines the prick of 



which is venom- 

 ous. It is green, 

 with a broad 

 brown or reddish 

 stripe, edged be- 

 low with white on 

 each side of the 

 abdomen ; the spines are tipped with black. It feeds 

 on the leaves of apple, cherry, willow, elm, currant, 

 and many other plants. The cocoon is thin ; it is 

 usually surrounded by leaves, and made near the 

 ground. The adults sometimes emerge in the au- 

 tumn, but usually not till spring. 



The Polyphemus-moth, Telea polyphemus {Te' le-a 

 pol-y-phe' mus). — This is a yellowish or brownish moth, 

 with a windowlike spot in each wing. There is a 

 gray band on the front margin of the fore wings, and 

 near the outer margin of both pairs of wings there is 

 a dusky band, edged without with pink : the fore 

 wings are crossed by a broken dusty or reddish line 

 near the base, edged within with white or pink. The 

 transparent spot on each wing is divided b}' a vein 

 and encircled by yellow and black rings. The wings 

 expand from five to six inches. 



The larva (Fig. 154) feeds on oak, basswood, but- 

 ternut, elm, maple, apple, plum, and other trees. 

 When full grown, it measures three inches or more 

 in length. It is of a light green color, with an oblique 

 yellow line on each side of each abdominal segment 

 except the first and last ; the last segment is bordered 



