34-6 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS ,. 
those on the third, are long and curved. These caterpillars 
eat the leaves of forest-trees, and go into the ground to trans¬ 
form, which they do without making cocoons. The rings of 
the pupa bear little notched ridges, the teeth of which, to¬ 
gether with some strong prickles at the hinder end of the 
body, assist it in forcing its way upwards out of the earth. 
This is a small family; it is not represented in Europe, 
and less than twenty species are known to occur in this 
country. The more common ones are the following:— 
The Regal-moth, Citheronia regalis (Cith-e-ro'ni-a re-ga'- 
lis).—This is the largest and most magnificent of the Royal- 
moths (Fig. 424). The fore wings are olive-colored, spotted 
with yellow, and with the veins heavily bordered with red 
scales. The hind wings are orange-red, spotted with yellow, 
and with a more or less distinctly marked band outside the 
middle olive. The wings expand from four to six inches. 
When fully grown the larva measures from four to five 
inches in length. It is our largest caterpillar, and can be 
readily recognized by the very long spiny horns with which 
it is armed. Those of the mesothorax and metathorax are 
much longer than the others. Of these there are four on 
each segment; the intermediate ones measure about three 
fifths inch in length. This larva feeds on various trees and 
shrubs. 
The Imperial-moth, Basilona imperialis (Bas-i-lo'na im- 
pe-ri-a'lis).—This moth rivals the preceding species in 
size, expanding from four to five and one half inches. It 
is sulphur-yellow, banded and speckled with purplish brown. 
The full-grown larva (Fig. 425) measures from three to 
four inches in length. It is thinly clothed with long 
hairs, and bears prominent spiny horns on the second and 
third thoracic segments. In the early larval stages these 
thoracic horns are very long and spiny, resembling those of 
the larva of the Regal-moth. The larva feeds on hickory 
butternut, and other forest-trees. 
The Two-colored Royal-moth, Sphingicampa bicolor 
