136 
MEMOIRS OF THE NATIO]S^AL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
Hahifs, — Dr, Harris, in his Treatise,” quite fully, describes the habits of this tent-inhabiting 
caterihllar, remarking: “When young they sometimes fold up one side of a leaf for a nest, and 
eat the other half.” He also fully describes the tent made by the social mature larva*, -svliich we 
have also observed on the po^dar, “ made of a single leaf folded or curled at the sides, and lined 
with a thin web of silk,” , He also states that “the caterpillars go out to feed upon the leaves 
near to their nests.” It thus a]>pears that from early larval life the caterpillars live in much the 
same way as tlie fully grown larvm, dwelling in tents, and, unlike most Notodontians, continuing 
to live socially in “swarms of twenty or more,” until they disperse, preparatory to liupution. 
While feeding exposed, they are probably not eaten by birds, as their colors and markings serve 
as “danger signals.” 
The following account is copied from Harris’s Correspondence (p. 210). He observed them on 
the Balm of Gilead: 
August iiud September, 1835: Gregarious cateri)illars ou the Balm of Gilead tree; folding iq) the leaf and lining 
it with silk as a comniou weh, the jietiolo being also fastened to the trunk by silk. 
Lana , — Color of tlio larva yellow; bead, geiiiinuto tubercles ou the fourth and eleventh segments, tip of last 
segment, and true feet, black; thre(3 narrow dorsal and three broader lateral vitUe, and spiracles, black. The larva 
is much like that of Closlera unachoreia (Ernst, 165, hg. 214) and C. reclnsa (Enist, 165, tig. 216) and closely resembles 
C. anaatomosin. Thin cocoon formed in a box October 4, 1835. * Another cocoon 
formed in October, 1837t disclosed the imago June 15, 1838. 
August 10, 1838: Found the larvjc in great abundance on the Balm of 
Gilead tree. These caterjiillars are gregarious, and fona a common shelter 
consisting of a leaf folded longitudinally and lined with a thick weh of silk, 
beneath which tins iusccts are sheltered when not feeding. They eat the whole 
of the leaves except the veins, which remain iiutoiiched. The petioles of the 
small leaves used as habitations are fastened with silk. The larger leaves sub- 
sequently used for shelter are not thus secured. They do not eat the leaves 
which servo for habitations, hnt sometimes fold one-lialf of the leaf and eat the 
corresponding side. IVhcu fully grown the caterpillar measnres 1^ inches or 
more in length. They do not vary in color or markings at ditfereut ages. Body 
slightly hairy, light yellow; the head, true feet, a double wart on the fourth, 
another ou tho eleventh anal valve, three slender dorsal stripes.and three broader 
lateral ones on a dusky ground, and the spiracles, black. In tho oldest caterpil- 
lars there is an orange-colored line at the sides of tho body below tho spiracles. 
The npi)er lateral black stripe is tho broadest and becomes indistinct toward the 
second, which gives to the sides the appearance of a broad, dusky stripe marked 
with three black lines. Tho thinly scattered liairs on tho body are whitish, and 
l)roceed indiscriminately from the surface, and not from regular tubercles. 
The caterpillar of this moth occurred ou the poplar (R. grandi- 
dentata),, at rrovidcnce, September 11 to 15. They were living^ 
within a tent made by draAviiig two or three leaves* together, several 
smaller branches of the tree having been defoliated by them. It pupated a few days after, the 
moth appearing in the breeding cage Juno 1 of the next year. 
The eggs occur in April and May and July and August; the larvm from May to July and 
August to September; adults, March, April, and May, and July and August (also all winter months 
in confinement in breeding cages. (Riley.) 
Food]}hinis . — Diderent species of poplar, especially P. 7. pa??nwas reared by 
Professor French ou the willow, poplar, willow maple.) (Riley.) 
Gcognqjhical dhtnhution , — It ranges from Maiue and Canada to Georgia (Abbot) and 
Florida (Packard), thus exteiuliug through the Appalachian aud Aiistroripariau subprovinces* 
Maine (Packard); Massachusetts (Harris, Sanborn, Shurtletf); Amherst, Mass. (Mrs. Fernald); 
Rhode Island (Packard); New York (H. Edwards, Elliot, Dyar); Racine, AVis.; Chicago, IlL 
(Westcott); southern Illinois (French); Georgia (Abbot); Jacksonville, Fla. (Packanl) ; Indian 
River, Florida (H. Edwards); Texas (Biley); Denver, Colo., Ai>ril 30, May 9 (Gillette). Its western 
and southwestern limits are not exactly known. Ih’ofessor French sends me the following 
localities of specimens in his collection: 7. inclusa, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, AVisconsin, 
Ohio; var. inversa, Canada, Lincoln, Nebr.; Colorado; var. palla,, normal, Carboudale, 111.;, 
Lincoln, Nebr. 
Fig. 62.— Head of pup.a of Ichthyara 
inclusa. 
