79 
MOTHS —Lepidoptera. 
(By G. H. French, A. M.) 
THE SALT MARSH moth —(Leucarctia aerate —Sm.) 
The larva is the “ Salt Marsh Caterpillar. 
in 1wV am'f’ no ? W ? de , ly distri b°ted, was first described by Dr. Harri- 
in 1823, and received its name from the fact that the salt marshe 
ibout Boston which afforded considerable hay, had been for some thn 
)ver-run and laid waste by swarms of these caterpillars. From flic 
ocal character of the name, and from the fact it closely resembles one 
o m of the caterpillar of the allied species, the Virqinia Ermine 
Moth, n was for some time supposed that this insect was conLed to the 
eg on of the sea-board or at least that it was not found farther inland 
SE£ 
esemoies the 1 ellow Bear, eating freely the tender leaves of most of 
ur garden vegetables as well as the field grains, weeds etc. * 
e general color of the caterpillar is darker than the Yellow Bear 
yhen "fuft g e rowm ftTs an^l 1 h™ th ? fl arkest form of that caterpillar.’ 
ody is clothed with long hairs which are sometimes black fnd some 
1 thesis 11 °Thes e eT nt PMt °V he body ’ but a“ofa Hgh“r brow„ 
Ularlv arranged oo * if ° W fr ° m y e llowish colored warts that are 
eguiany arranged on each segment. The body without the hairs is 
i o7lhe a back at TbrT ^ ^ with a bfackfsh ifne a ong" fe 
*p or the back. The stigmata or breathing holes on the <dd^ 
hue and are very distinct even through the hairs $ * 
T (®, x ?, s °( the ® ot bs differ in color, the female having the wings 
hite, while the male has only the front wings white above the hhfd 
!“£- and the underside of the body and wings being deep ochm 
dngs andhivlftnThe i her ? ^ ab ° ui t "' ent T black d «ts on the front 
ideeorhi, r the . blnd WIn S s ; and the abdomen, or hind body 
■ deep-ochre yeliow with rows of black dots. } ’ 
in 5‘ . arrls says there is in Massachusetts only one brood of the cater 
SS i b n Ut ai n o,if he th Middle and Sm ! thern States thereare & two 
dlow Rear TP fi . 1 th ® . same P erlods as the two broods of the 
eZ,t7 abou the mi nr 1 / s T P rodu ced from eggs that are laid by 
terpillars are to eat “y' dIe ,° f t J . un , e on 4 tb e grass or other leaves the 
sitHissald tifhf batched - A single female will thus de- 
ys to hatch ’ 4 ft undred eggs. It takes these seven or eight 
aceal tbemlei Aft ® r pass ,’, ng fiv , e or six weeks in the larva state they 
aceal themselves in walls, under stones, or in any place that offer! 
