328 



Handbook of Nature-St-udy 



The moths are night fliers, and the mother moth seeks some plant on 

 which to lay her eggs, that will be suitable food for the little caterpillar 

 as soon as it is hatched. 



References — Moths and Butterflies, Ballard. 



The Isabella tiger-moths, the adults of the woolly bear. 

 The larger is the female. 

 Photo by M, V. Siingerland. 



LESSON LXXII 

 The Isabella Tiger-Moth, or Woolly Bear 



Leading thought — When we see the woolly bear hurrying along in the 

 fall, it is hunting for some cozy place in which to pass the winter. It 

 makes its cocoon of silk woven with its own hair. In May, it comes forth 

 a yellowish moth with black dots on its wings. 



Method — Have the children bring in woolly bears as they find them, 

 place them in boxes or breeding jars which have grass or clover growing 

 in them. The children can handle the caterpillars while they are study- 

 ing them, and then they should be put back into the breeding jars and be 

 set out of doors where they can have natural conditions; thus the entire 

 history may be studied. 



The Caterpillar 

 Observations — i. How can you tell the woolly bear from all other 

 caterpillars? Are they all colored alike? How many segments of the 

 body are black at the front end? How many are red? How many seg- 

 ments are black at the rear end of the body? How many segments does 

 this make in all ? 



2. Look closely at the hairs of the woolly bear. Are they set 

 separately or in rosettes? Are any of the hairs of the body longer than 

 others or are they all even ? 



3. Can you see, just back of the head, the true legs with their little 

 sharp claws ? How many are there ? 



4. Can you see the fleshy legs along the sides of the body? How 

 many are there of these? 



