226 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
Family PYROMORruiDiE (Pyr-o-mor'phi-dae). 
The Smoky-moths. 
There are but few insects in our country pertaining to 
. , this family. These are small moths, that are 
chiefly of a smoky black color; some are 
W marked with brighter colors. 
Vx tkus%ifar°iut A tiny representative of the family which 
seems to be not uncommon in the East is Acoloithus fal- 
sarins (Ac-o-loi'thus fal-sa'ri-us). This moth (Fig. 265) 
expands two thirds of an inch. It is black, with the pro¬ 
thorax of an orange color. The venation of its wings (Fig. 
266) is peculiar in that subcosta and radius of the hind wings 
coalesce for only a short 
distance beyond the mid¬ 
dle of the discal cell, and 
a stump of radius pro¬ 
jects towards the base 
of the wing, from the 
point of union of the two 
veins. The larva feeds 
in early summer on the 
leaves of grape and of 
the Virginia creeper. It 
is said that the pupa 
state lasts fourteen days 
and is passed within a parchment-like cocoon. The adult 
frequents flowers in the daytime. 
The typical genus of the family is represented in the At¬ 
lantic and Western States by Pyromorpha dimidiata (Pyr-o- 
mor'pha di-mid-i-a'taj. The entire insect is smoky black, 
except the basal half of the fore wings in front of vein IX, 
and the basal half of the costa of the hind wings, which are 
yellow. The wings are thinly scaled, and expand a little 
more than one inch. Figure 267 represents the venation of 
the wings. 
hi, hi, m J+4 
Fig. 266. — Wings of Acoloithus falsarius. 
