INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS 397 
more or less in the open. There are two generations or one and a 
partial second in most of its natural range. 
The moths emerge from April to early July, and July to August, 
the eggs are deposited in clusters on the under side of leaves, the 
larvae are found from May to October, pupation takes place in a 
loose cocoon formed by drawing leaves together, and the winter is 
passed in this cocoon on the ground. The old webs hanging on the 
trees are sometimes mistaken for those of the browntail moth. 
Ichthyura albosigma Fitch also feeds on poplar, and J. apicalis Wlky., 
I. brucei Hy. Edw., and J. strigosa Grote feed on poplar and willow, 
but they are generally held in check by natural factors. 
FIGURE 79.—Nest of the poplar tentmaker (Jchthyura inclusa) torn open to show 
the larvae. 
The species in the genus Datana closely resemble one another in 
both the adult and larval stages. The moths are rather attractive and 
are of various shades of brown, the fore part of the thorax having a 
conspicuous patch of a darker shade. ‘The wing expanse in each 
species ranges from about 114 to 2 inches. The forewings are crossed 
with bars of darker shades, most species have a discal dot, the hind 
wings are of a lighter color and without lines, and the body is rather 
heavy. The moths, in general, emerge between May and August. 
The eggs are deposited in a cluster on a leaf of the food plant. The 
larvae are gregarious in habits, all from one ege cluster feed in a 
colony and usually strip all the folhage from one small branch before 
moving to another. When disturbed they have a peculiar habit of 
raising their heads and anal ends in an upright position and clinging 
toa twig or branch by their abdominal legs. The larvae may be found 
from June to October. Pupation takes place in the ground late in the 
summer or fall, and the winter is passed in the pupal stage. There is 
