342 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



The pupa of the common tomato 

 sphinx caterpillar. 



Note that the part encasing the long tongue 



is free and looks like the handle of a jug. 



Photo by M. V. Slingerland. 



the same Species; the tomato worm- 

 is soinetim.es green and sometimes 

 black. 



The horn on the rear end is often 

 in the young larva of different color 

 than the body; in some species it 

 stands straight up and in some it is 

 curled toward the back. It is an 

 absolutely harmless projection and 

 does not sting nor is it poison- 

 ous. However, it looks awe-inspiring and perhaps protects its owner m 

 that way. The Pandora sphinx has its horn curled over its back in the 

 young stage but when fully grown the horn is shed ; in its place is an eye- 

 spot which, if seen between the leaves, is enough to frighten away any 

 cautious bird fearing the evil eye of serpents. The sphinx caterpillars 

 have a habit, when disturbed or when resting, of rearing up the front part 

 of the body, telescoping the head back into the thoracic segments, which in 

 most species are enlarged, and assuming a most threatening and ferocious 

 aspect. If attacked they will swing sidewise, this way and then that, 

 making a fierce crackling sound meanwhile, well calculated to fill the 

 trespasser with terror. When resting they often remain in this lifted 



attitude for hours, ab- 

 solutely rigid. 



The six true legs are 

 short with sharp, little 

 claws. There are four 

 pairs of fleshy prolegs, 

 each foot being armed 

 with hooks for holding on 

 to leaf or twig; and the 

 large, fleshy prop-leg on 

 the rear segment is able to 

 clasp a twig like a vise. 

 All these fleshy legs are 

 used for holding on, while the true legs are used for holding the edges 

 of the leaf where the sidewise working jaws can cut it freely. These 

 caterpillars do clean work, leaving only the harder and more woody 

 ribs of the leaves. The myron caterpillar seems 

 to go out of its way to cut off the stems of 

 both the grape and Virginia creeper. 



There are nine pairs of spiracles, a pair on 

 each segment of the abdomen and on the first 

 thoracic segment. The edges of these air 

 openings are often strikingly colored. Through 

 the spiracles the air is admitted into 

 all the breathing tubes of the body around 

 which the blood flows and is purified ; no insect 

 breathes through its mouth. These cater- 

 pillars, like all others, grow by shedding the 



skeleton skin, which splits down the back. ^, c ^j n , 



r\u j: it, i -11 ■ The eggs of the Myr^n 



Often one of these caterpillars is seen sphinx. 



covered with white objects which the ignorant, photo by m. v. siingeriand 



Tailor-made tnoth, the adult of the 

 hlyron sphinx. 



