Tolype velleda (Stoll), the velleda lappet moth, occurs from southern Canada 
south through the Atlantic States to Florida and west to the Lake States. The larvae 
feed on the foliage of various hardwoods including ash, quaking aspen, basswood, 
cherry, elm, maple, holly, oak, and apple. The adult has a white head and thorax, a 
gray abdomen, and a large blackish spot in the middle of the dorsum. The wings are 
usually gray, sometimes dusky, are crossed by white lines, and have a wingspread 
of 37 to 62 mm. Full-grown larvae are gray with faint longitudinal lines and are 
about 62 mm long. The body is flattened and has lateral lappets, each of which has 
many long hairs, thus forming a fringe along each side of the body. There is a pair 
of warts, bordered posteriorly by a velvety black band, on the metathorax. Adults 
appear in September and October. Females lay their eggs in rows and cover them 
with hairs from the abdomen. Larvae are present from June to August. Pupation 
takes place in tough, flattened, parchmentlike cocoons on the bark. There is one 
generation per year. This species seldom causes serious injury. The related but 
smaller species, 7. /aricis (Fitch), feeds on larch. Its range and life cycle are similar 
to those of T. velleda. 
The lappet moth, Phyllodesma americana (Harris), 1s generally distributed, but 
not often common, through the Eastern States and southern Canada. Its hosts are 
quaking aspen, cherry, hickory, birch, maple, oak, and various other hardwoods. 
Adults are reddish brown and have wingspreads of 30 to 50 mm. The inner angle of 
the forewing and the costal margin of the hindwing are deeply notched, and there is 
a pale band edged with irregular dark-brown lines beyond the middle of each. Full- 
grown larvae are bluish gray, somewhat mottled above, have lateral lappets, and are 
about 62 mm long. There are transverse scarlet bands on the second and third 
thoracic segments, in each of which are three black dots. Winter is spent in the 
pupal stage in a tough, flattened cocoon, usually on the bark of the tree. There is 
one generation per year in the North and a partial second one in the South. 
Family Saturniidae 
Giant Silkworm Moths 
This family contains some of the largest and most colorful moths in the Eastern 
United States (226, 403). The larvae, also large and conspicuous, are more or less 
armed with tubercles and spines. Because of their habit of spinning large, dense 
silken cocoons in which to pupate, they are known as giant silkworms. The larvae 
feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs; however, because they usually occur 
singly and in low numbers, they are seldom injurious. Some of the most common 
Species are discussed briefly below. 
The cynthia moth, Samia cynthia (Drury), was introduced into this country from 
Asia more than 100 years ago and now occurs in urban areas from Massachusetts to 
Georgia and west to Indiana. Its preferred host is ailanthus, but cherry, plum, and 
other hosts are also infested. The adult is olive brown with rows of tufts of white 
hairs on the abdomen, and has a wingspread of 150 to 200 mm. Full-grown larvae 
are about 75 mm long and have yellowish-green heads and a whitish bloom dorsally 
on the body. The rest of the body is light bluish green to yellowish, spotted with 
black, and there are long, bluish tubercles with short bristles on each body 
segment. Moths are present from June to August; larvae from July to October. 
Winter is spent as pupae in pendulous cocoons on the tree or on the ground. 
The cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia (L.), occurs throughout the Eastern 
United States and in southern Canada. The larvae feed on a wide variety of 
hardwoods such as apple, ash, birch, cherry, hawthorn, walnut, maple, sassafras, 
willow, elm, poplar, and basswood. Feeding damage can be severe in shelterbelt 
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