INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS SV ETE 
from June to September, and the winter is passed as pupae in the 
ground. 
The larvae of the following sphingids also feed on grape and Vir- 
ginia creeper: Pholus pandorus (Hbn.), the achemon sphinx (P. 
achemon (Drury) ), Ampeloeca myron (Cram.), Deidamia inscriptum 
(Harr.), and Amphion nessus (Cram.). 
Famity SATURNIIDAE 
The largest moths inhabiting the eastern part of the United States 
belong to the family Saturnidae. They have a small head which is 
deeply sunken in the thorax, and the antennae are bipectinate, those of 
the males much broader than those of the females. The thorax is 
densely hairy, the body is stout, and the wings are strong and broad, 
some with transparent windowlike spots. They are nocturnal and are 
attracted to hghts. The larvae are large, and most species spin dense 
silken cocoons in which they transform, and therefore are commonly 
known as giant silkworms. They are more or less armed with tuber- 
cles and spines, and most species live exposed on the foliage of trees 
and shrubs. They have been described by Packard (324). 
The species of this family are usually held in check by natural con- 
trol factors, and although most species are quite common in their 
natural habitat, it is rarely necessary to use artificial control measures 
to prevent serious injury by them. Because of the large size of the 
larvae they often attract attention, and therefore brief descriptions of 
the larvae and the habits of the more common species are given here. 
The full-grown larva of the cynthia moth (Philosamia cynthia 
(Drury) ) is about 3 inches in length; the head yellowish green and 
about one-half as wide as the body is thick, and the prothoracic seg- 
ment 1s lemon yellow, as is also the anal plate, the dorsal region of the 
ninth abdominal segment, and the thoracic and abdominal legs. The 
rest of the body is hight bluish green to yellowish dotted with black. 
Each segment except the last has four dorsal and two lateral, long, 
bluish tubercles, with short radiating bristles. The tubercles on the 
last segment are much reduced, and the lateral tubercles are ringed 
with black at the base (fig. 72, A). 
This species was introduced into this country from Asia about 1861, 
and its present known distribution in the United States is from south- 
ern Connecticut to Virginia. Its preferred food plant is ailanthus, 
but it is also recorded as feeding on wild black cherry and plum. The 
moths emerge between June and early September, the larvae are found 
from July to early October, and the pupae in their cocoons, fastened to 
twigs on the food plant or among the dried leaves on the ground, from 
August until the following summer. The cocoons are similar to those 
of Callosamia promethea and may be mistaken for them. Occasionally 
some pupae remain dormant until the second summer. ‘This species 
is often abundant locally, and apparently ailanthus, its preferred 
food, is an important factor in limiting its dispersal. 
The full-grown larva of the cecropia moth (Samia cecropia (L.) ) 
is 3 to 4 inches in length. The head is green with 2 black spots on 
each side, the body pea green with a bluish tinge. On the top of the 
second and third thoracic segments are 4 large, coral-red tubercles, 
and on the first to eighth abdominal segments 15 yellow tubercles. All 
