INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS 403 
on the abdominal segments, three blackish, lateral lines between the 
yellow stripes on each side, and some black markings below the stig- 
matal line on a pale lilac ground. The legs are orange to orange red. 
The larvae have only three median, dorsal, blackish lines during the 
early instars. 
This species ranges from Nova Scotia and southeastern Canada 
south to Florida and westward to Minnesota and Kansas. The larvae 
feed on various species of oak, particularly white oak and bur oak, 
and sometimes on basswood, beech, elm, and maple. They are gregari- 
ous during the early instars and often are common to abundant locally 
in the forests, sometimes causing considerable defoliation. The moths 
emerge from May to July, the eggs are deposited in small masses on 
the under sides of the leaves, the larvae may be found from June to 
October, and transformation to the pupa takes place in a thin, white, 
tough, oval cocoon spun among the leaves or in the duff on the ground. 
The winter is passed in the pupal stage. According to some writers 
there are two generations a year in the South. 
Symmerista albifrons (A. & S.).—The larva of this species is simi- 
lar in appearance to S. albicosta and the two go under. the same com- 
mon name, but S. albifrons has only three median, dorsal, blackish 
lines throughout the larval period. Its distribution is similar to that 
of S. albicosta, but apparently it is more abundant in the Midwest and 
in Florida than in other sections. Records show that the larvae are 
often abundant in Minnesota, and they feed on paper birch, elm, bass- 
wood, and scarlet oak, and sometimes on white oak. The life cycle is 
similar to that of S. albicosta. 
The moth of the saddled prominent (Heterocampa guttivitta 
(Wlkr.) ) is brownish gray with a wing expanse of 114 to2 inches. The 
forewing is crossed with more or less indistinct and variable dark 
markings. The full-grown larva is about 11% inches long, and of vari- 
able color markings, though most often yellowish green, or light green 
with a bluish cast. The head is large with a broad reddish lateral 
band, and the body is smooth, usually with a reddish-brown or purplish 
saddle-shaped patch on the back and often with other markings similar 
in color (fig. 81, 8B). 
This species ranges from eastern Canada south to Florida and Texas 
and west to Colorado and Nebraska. Its favored food plant is beech, 
although sugar maple and apple are sometimes severely attacked. In 
periods of abundance many other species of trees are fed upon when 
associated with the favored food species. The moths emerge late in 
May and early in June. The female is capable of depositing about 
500 eggs, and these are laid singly on the leaves. Hatching takes 
place in about 9 or 10 days. The first instars feed on the epidermis 
of the leaves, but later instars devour all but the principal veins. 
They become full grown in 5 weeks or more, depending somewhat on 
the weather and food supply. Pupation takes place in the leafmold 
sometime between the middle of July and late August. In the North- 
eastern States there is only one generation. 
Patch (334), Collins (97), and others have published reports on 
serious outbreaks in New England and New York. Outbreaks have 
occurred in this region in 1907-09, 1917-20, 1930-31, and 1940-41. In 
some areas where heavy defoliation occurred for two consecutive years 
there was considerable mortality of the trees, and on many of the trees 
