57 



LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS. 



Eggs are laid singly and separately, sometimes in groups of from 

 5 to 7, on the under surface of leaves. According to Miss Helen King ^ 

 they hatch in Texas in six days" while in Florida, according to Witt- 

 feld, they may hatch in four days. 



On hatching, the caterpillar, as is common with many species, de- 

 vours a portion of its eggshell, whereupon, after feeding lightly on a 

 leaf, it folds the latter over and confines it in place with a few stitches 

 of silk, enlarging its retreat as it develops. From the tubular case 

 thus formed it feeds along the edges and retreats within when dis- 

 turbed. It is careful to eject all excreta and exuviae, but in spite of 

 its cleanliness the caterpillar is frequently attacked by disease. 



A good account is given by Miss King in the article above noted, 

 which is largely republished in Scudder's work. Doctor Dyar has 

 ascertained that there are customarily five stages of this larva, and 

 describes them fully in Entomological News.^ The larva, when full 

 grown, develops to a pupa in its resting place, " held by a transverse 

 loop and a band of silk for the cremaster." " The cremasterial band 

 is attached at one end to the leaf; at the other to the transverse 

 thread." This accurately describes the pupal case as observed in 

 specimens received at this office. Under other conditions this case 

 might be different, as described by Mr. Charles R. Dodge.^ 



According to data accumulated by Scudder, the butterfly is on the 

 Aving in southern Florida in May, and from eggs laid in the middle 

 of the month the butterflies reappear in the first half of June. In 

 South Carolina the season is a little later, and there mature cater- 

 pillars have been observed before the middle of June and fresh but- 

 terflies from the 12th of the month to the end. Scudder concludes 

 that there are two generations before midsummer. Judging by 

 recent experience there are likely to be two more generations before 

 cold weather, but w^e do not know how the winter is passed. The 

 moths from one of these generations appear in the latter part of Sep- 

 tember. 



Of the butterfly Angus has stated that he was attracted to an indi- 

 vidual, which he captured near New York City, " by the peculiarity 

 of its movements on the wing; they were very undulating, like those 

 of gnats, as they rose and fell almost perpendicularly and in a very 

 easy manner." Wittfeld adds that one of the favorite times for 

 flight of the butterfly in fair weather is after sundown. Miss Helen 

 King describes its motion as " very rapid." 



a Psyche, Vol. Ill, pp. 322-324, 1882. 



6 Pages 163-165, 1898. 



c Rural Carolinian, Vol. Ill, p. 593. 



