THE JUNIPER BASKET-WORM. 909 
angle of the Hue and re-appearing on the hinder edge of the apex of the wing is 
much as above. On the hind wings the line is straight, broader than on the fore 
wings, and extends upon the costa. The body is half an inch (.50) in length, and a 
fore wing measures .65 of an inch in length, both together expanding 1.30 inches. 
5. The juniper basket-worm. 
Thyridopteryx ephemerwformis (Haworth). 
Order Lepidoptera ; family Psychid^e. 
Feeding sometimes in great numbers on the juniper and the white cedar, a worm 
living in a large case, 1 to 2 inches long, covered with bits of twigs, the female wing- 
less and worm-like ; the male dark brown, with small hyaline wings. 
The cases of this remarkable worm we have found on the juniper tree 
in Virginia, and according to Harris it sometimes abounds so as to be 
very destructive to the white cedar ( Gupressus thujoides) in lawns. The 
following brief account is taken from my " Guide to the Study of In- 
sects : " 
The male of the basket-worm is stout-bodied, with broadly pectinated antennae 
and a long abdomen, the anal forceps and the adjoining parts being capable of 
unusual extension in order to reach the oviduct of the female, which is wingless, 
cylindrical, and in its general form closely resembles its larva, and does not leave its 
case. On being hatched from the eggs, which are, so far as known to us, not ex- 
truded from its case by the parent, the young larvae immediately build little elon- 
gated basket-like shallow conical cases of bits of twigs of the cedar, and may then 
be seen walking about, tail in the air, this tail or abdomen covered by the incipient 
oase, and presenting a comical sight. The case of the full-grown larva is elongated, 
oval cylindrical, and the fleshy larva transforms within it, while it shelters the 
female through life. 
Mrs. King writes to Psyche (iii, p. 241) that near Dallas, Tex., hundreds 
of cedar trees may be seen stripped of all foliage and killed by this 
insect, with their branches laden with its cases. It sometimes feeds on 
the scrub oak. The female in Texas finishes her transformations from 
the middle of March to the middle of May. The larvae may be found 
at all seasons and in various stages of growth. The eggs mature in 
three, six, or eight weeks, according to the season, the young larvae 
appearing by the latter part of June. I have observed the cases of 
(Eeeticus abbotii on the cypress at Enterprise, Fla. 
As a remedy hand-picking is an easy and thorough means of getting 
rid of these creatures if abundant enough to be annoying ; or the trees 
may be sprayed. 
The following insects also occur on this juniper : 
6. Incisalia niphon (Scudder). 
7. Mitura damon (Scudder). 
8. Papilio troilus Linn. On Juniper us sabiniana (Scudder). 
9. Eacles imperialis (Drury). Gentry (Can. Ent, vi, 87.) 
