INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 677 



observed by Professor Comstock in Florida, and he states that the larvae 

 on attaining maturity, enter the ground for pupation. 



The parent meth has a wing spread of about an inch with the fore 

 wings dark brown, nearly black on the basal third and beyond there is a 

 broad, light gray band crossing the wings, outside of which is a dark brown 

 area followed by gray. The hind wings are a dark ashy color with a 

 silky luster. 



The full grown larva is about ^ inch long, dark yellowish brown, 

 paler beneath and with a moderately distinct subdorsal line extending from 

 the thoracic shield to the posterior extremity. Head, thoracic shield and 

 last abdominal segment yellowish brown, more or less irregularly marked 

 with dark brown or black. 



This species has not, to our knowledge, caused any serious injury and 

 it is hardly probable that it will ever become dangerous. One of the 

 soldier bugs, E use hist us variolarius Beauv. is common in the fall 

 on web nests of Lyda and doubtless preys on this species also. 



Imperial moth 



Basilona imperialis Drury 



A large, thick, pale green caterpillar 3 to 4 inches long, with pale orange head and 

 legs and six spined, yellow tubercles behind the head, occurs on white pine needles late 

 in August and through September. 



This, one of the largest native caterpillars, is most common in New 

 York State on white pine though it lives on a considerable variety of food 

 plants and in the South it is said to have a marked preference for species 

 of oak. 



Description. The male of this magnificent moth has a wing spread of 

 4 inches and that of the female exceeds 5^2 inches. The insects are light 

 yellow, spotted and banded with brownish as represented on plate 41, 

 figure 1. 



The summarized descriptions of the early larval stages are drawn 

 from Dr Lintner's more extended account. The recently hatched larva is 



