THE MILK-WEED CATERPILLAR. 
359 
E. Smith, which is found in the Southern States, and agrees 
with our weaver in habits. From tlie foregoing account of f 
the habits and transformations of the fall web-worm, or 
Hypliantria iextor^^ it is evident that the only time in which 
we can attempt to exterminate these destructive insects with 
any prospect of success is when they are young and just be¬ 
ginning to make their webs on the trees. So soon, then, as 
the webs begin to appear on the extremities of the branches, 
they should be stripped off, with the few leaves which they 
cover, and the caterpillars contained therein, at one grasp, 
and should be crushed under foot. 
There are many kinds of hairy caterpillars in Massachu¬ 
setts, differing remarkably from those of the other Arctians^ 
and resembling in some respects 
those belonging to the next tribe, 
with which they appear to con¬ 
nect the true Arctians. The first 
of these are little party-colored 
tufted caterpillars (Fig. 1T2), 
which may be found in great plenty on the common milk¬ 
weed, Asclepias Syriaca^ during the latter part of July and 
the whole of August. Although the plants on which these 
insects live are generally looked upon as weeds and cumber- 
ers of the soil, yet the insects themselves are deserving of 
notice, on account of their singularity, and the place that 
they fill in the order to which they belong. They keep to¬ 
gether in companies, side by side, beneath the leaves, their 
heads all turned towards the edge of the leaf while they are 
eating, and when at rest they arch up the fore part of the 
body and bend down the head, which is then completely con¬ 
cealed by long overhanging tufts of hairs, and if disturbed 
they jerk their heads and bodies in a very odd way. These 
harlequin caterpillars have sixteen legs, which, with the head, 
are black. Their bodies are black also, with a whitish line 
on each side, and are thickly covered with short tufts of hairs 
Fig. 172. 
[20 Hyphantria textor is Spilosoma textor. — Morris.] 
