Article beginning on page 259.
Psyche 5:259-268, 1888.

Full text (searchable PDF)
Durable link: http://psyche.entclub.org/5/5-259.html

The following unprocessed text is extracted from the PDF file, and is likely to be both incomplete and full of errors. Please consult the PDF file for the complete article.

August -December 1889.1 F'5'2THE. 259
p. 183 Bull., Bigot, in his characteristic way, proposes a new generic name,
Pseudarchilestes, for Dasypogon uZbi-
tarsis Macquart. The author could
have hardly comprised more errors in
one short note than he has done. First,
Schiner first described the genus Archi- lestes ( ArchiZestris) in the Verh. zoo1 .- hot. gesellsch. 1866, v. 16, p. 67zy md
not in Reise der ~sterreichischen fre-
gatte Novara, which appeared two years
later. Second, he says nothing about
D. ^nafmficus Walker, being the same
as D. uZbifu~sis, but, on the contrary,
places D. albitarsis as a synonym of
D. ca@noftems Wied.(o$. cit., v. 16, p.
703 ; v. I 7, p. 377), the typeof the genus. Had Bigot been at all familiar with
what Schiner has written, he would have
observed that Schiner says expressly
(Verh. z001.-hot. gesellch. v. 17, p.
378) that the third antenna1 joint in
A. ca$no&erus is "auf der Oberseite
behaa?-t," the very identical character
that Bigot assumes as distinctive of his Pseudarchilestes ! Furthermore, Schi-
ner says nothing in his original generic description about the third joint not
being hairy above. That he does say
so in a later description was undoubtedly an oversight, that should not have
been accepted so heedlessly. In a
word, Bigot erects a new genus upon
the type species of another genus, based upon a character that was expressly
stated to be present in that type. Ar-
chilestris mag'nificus Walk. has, like-
wise, the "third joint of the antennae
distinctly beset with hairs on the upper side." (Osten Sacken, Biol. Cent.-
Amer., p. 169.)
1 wish to substitute Myiotheru for
Lynchia, p. 255, as I find the latter was used by Weyenbergh in 1881.
NOTES OX THE EARLY STAGES OF SOME HETEROCERA. BY CAROLINE G. SOULE AND IDA M. ELIOT.
PANOPODA RUFIMARGO, VAR. ROSEI-
COSTA, Guen.
This larva was .28 mm. long, bright
green, and found feeding on oak in
Nonquitt, Mass., on 10 September, 1889.
The head was, large, bright green,
minutely speckled with black, and hav-
ing a horizontal yellow line across the
"forehead."
The body was bright, rich green,
minutely speckled with black, and hav-
ing subdorsal lines of bright yellow
extending from the head to the end of
the anal props.
On the first segment were four small
yellow dots just behind the head, and
two larger ones behind the four.
On the first and second segments were
a faint yellow horizontal line, and three rough yellow tubercles.
There was a dorsal line of yellow
dashes and the space on each side was




================================================================================

260 PLY 2'THE. [August-December 1880.
dotted with yellow, the dots becoming
more numerous after the fifth segment.
There were nine obliques of clear
yellow, their "trend" being the reverse
of those of Sphinx larvae.
The feet and props were pale green
with reddish tips, except the anal props, which were long, thin, and like the
bodv in color.
d
All the props ended in curved and
speading tips.
The last moult was like
the one before it, and occurred one
week before the larvae spun leaves to-
gether for pupation. The pupa formed
in five days from the spinning and was
of a light brown color with no noticeable peculiarity. The moth emerged in
June, 1889, and was kindly identified
by Mr. John B. Smith.
\ CALLOSAMIA ANGULIFERA Walk.
These eggs were sent us by Miss
Emily L. Morton, with no date of lay-
ing, but the egg-period is probably
about that of C. 'promethea.
The eggs closely resembled those of
C. iroinethea, but were whiter.
Many of the eggs turned lead color hy
July 30, but a few became green, and a
few yellow.
All hatched on 20 July.
The young larvae were 4 mm. long,
and bright yellow with a dark head.
The head had two light bands across it.
There
was a black transverse band on
the top of the second segment. The
anal segment had two dark transverse
lines, and a dark line showed faintly be- tween the segments.
The feet were grayish yellow with
dark tips. Props yellow. Each seg-
ment had six warts and spines, except
the first and last which had four.
27 July. First moult. Head yellow
with a dark line and dark patch across
it.
Each segment had two transverse
black lines on dorsum. Body-color
greenish yellow. On the first segment
were. four black warts with black
spines. On the eleventh segment were
three warts, the middle and largest one
being on the dorsal line, and two warts
just behind these. On each of the other
segments were six yellow warts with
yellow, black-tipped spines. Anal
shield with a transverse line and patch
of black. Feet and props pale yellow.
31 July. Second moult. Head
pale green with dark mouth-parts.
Body whitish green, with two indis-
tinct black lines on each segment, and a transverse row of yellow warts, each
having a spreading crown of yellow
spines. Just behind the head the row
of warts was followed by a heavy black
line.
Feet and props whitish green. Anal
shield with a black line and patch.
6 Aug. Third moult. Head green,
with black dots over the top and a black line across the face just above the
mouth-parts.
Body very white-green, smooth,
tapering from third segment to the
anus.
From the third segment to the anal
shield, there was a thick wavy ridge
just below the spiracles. This ridge is
one of the differences between these
larvae and those of $romethea. It




================================================================================

August-December 1889.1 pis' FCHE. 261
has been very noticeable in all the a w - ///era-larvae we have seen.
First segment. Two small yellow
tubercles over the head, then on each
side, two black, raised dots, and one
just above the foot.
Second and third segments. Two
large tubercles on the dorsutn, black at base, ringed with yellow, orange at tips, smooth ; two black points on each side,
and one over the foot.
Two other segments, to the eleventh
had, each, six black, raised points.
Eleventh segment. One large dorsal
tubercle, of clear yellow ringed with
black, and two black points on each
side.
Twelfth segment. Four black points
and two black tubercles on the anal
shield.
Anal shield and props edged
with yellow, the props having a "horse-
shoe" of black on the outer side. Stig-
matal ridge conspicuous. Feet and
props whitish green.
I z August. Fourth moult. As be-
fore, but larger, and having tubercles of abright coral red, instead of orange.
'Fhese tubercles were ringed with yel-
low, and were black at base. The
black '-horseshoe" on anal props be-
came a triangle uf black, and each ab-
dominal prop had a black dot on the
outer side.
The yellow-white, stigmatal ridge,
extending from third segment to anal
shield, was very noticeable.
Spiracles inconspicuous.
33 August. Began to spin. Just
before spinning the larvae measured
nearly 75 mm. in length, and 44 mm.
around the largest part of the body.
The dots and tubercles were small in
proportion to the size of the larvae, and less conspicuous than those of frome-
thea larvae. The tubercles were not
erect like those of womethea larvae,
and were ringed with yellow,-a mark-
ing which we have never found on pro-
.
methea. The body was cream-colored
above and somewhat greener on the
venter, the yellow, stigmata) ridge,
making a definite scalloped edge, end-
ing in the anal flap.
The head was small in proportion.
The tubercles, the stigmata1 ridge,
and the smoother, creamier color form
the most marked differences between
fromethea and arzguIz~era larvae,
which still closely resemble each other. We have never seen an ang'ulifera
larva which would eat anything but the
leaves of tulip-tree (Liriodendron tdi-
pifera) , while promothea larvae will eat almost any leaf!
The cocoons of anguh~era were
rounder, and in no case did the larva
spin threads around the leaf-stem, or
fasten the stem to the twig. while the
pomethea larva did this in every box
where twigs were provided.
We feel that the two kinds are dis-
tinct and separate, although we have
some pomethea $ moths which are
very near anfulifera in their markings.
The $ angzthyera varies more from
the (^ frometha than the (? from 9
@omethea, although, in typical speci
mens, the difference is very marked.
PHEOSIA MIMOSA Pack.
Eggs, found on a poplar leaf, Non-
quitt, Mass., 28 August, 1888.
They




================================================================================

were white, opaque, hemispherical,
and suggested eggs of butterflies,
though they were smooth.
2 September. They hatched. Young
larva 3 mrrh long. Head, feet and
props shining black.
Body whitish-green, with a subdor-
sal row of black spots, two to each seg- ment ; lateral row one to each segment.
Eleventh segment, a black dorsal
tubercle.
First segment had a raised black
patch, and looked swollen.
Second and third segments, two large
black dorsal spots. Anal end black.
Sparse hairs all over the body.
7 September. First moult. 19 mm.
long. Head black above, and brown
on face.
Feet and props black.
Body green with slight yellow stria-
tions, and a black horn on the eleventh
segment .
10 September. Second moult. 28
mm. long.
Head paler -than the body, which
was of a greenish-purple color, with
the venter green, and a dorsal line
somewhat darker than the body. Spi-
racles, conspicuous for the first time,
black dots encircled with white.
14 September. Third moult. 38
mm. long. Head and body slate-gray,
very smooth and shining. Anal shield
rough, and the whole segment with a
reddish tinge.
Caudal horn black, and from its base
two black lines extended to the last spira- cles.
Feet and props like body.
Spiracles
as before.
22 September the first one pupated.
Pupa, 25 mm., or slightly shorter,
brown, smooth, slender.
First imago emerged 6 June, 1889.
At Nonquitt, Mass., 12 July, 1888,
we found on a poplar leaf, and almost
covering it, a close mat of tiny eggs of the color and bloom of Delaware
grapes. 30 July these hatched, giving
larvae of a grayish color, with black
heads, with stiff hairs, which, when
the larvae were in motion, made them
look as if they had props on each seg-
ment. There were black dots on each
segment, and these were confluent on .
the first segment, making a black collar. Anal props were black.
The larvae were very restless, and
ate only the pulp of the leaves.
They
grew greenish in a day or two.
8 August. They moulted. Head
black, body green, with a few scattered
hairs ; collar black as before.
Fourth segment had a black dot on
the back, as had the anal segment.
There were rows of black dots, la-
teral and sublateral, with black
"speckles" between.
15 August. Second moult. Head
- black. Body yellow with sparse white
hairs. On fourth and anal segments a
black wart.
Dorsal and subdorsal longitudinal
black stripes meeting at the black anal
wart. A wider sublateral black stripe
made of confluent dots ; and a subven-
tral black stripe. On these two stripes
were black warts, one on each segment,
and from these warts arose the white




================================================================================

August-December-1889. J PSYCHE. 263
hairs. Feet black. Props yellow,
with black dots.
19 August. Third moult. Head
and body color as before. Dorsal
stripes and warts as before. Sublateral
and subventral stripes dark gray with
black lines through them, and with
warts as before.
On the first and second segments two
additional warts, making six on those
segments and four on the others.
Feet black.
Props yellow with black
dots. Spiracles black. Soft, fine hairs
all over.
2 September. Fourth moult. 44
mm. long, slightly hairy.
Head black, with white hairs scat-
tered over it.
Body almost black with four dorsal
lines of bright yellow ; one bright, and several indistinct, lateral lines, and
marks of yellowish.'
On fourth segment a bifid black
tubercle, giving rise to white hairs. On anal segment a smaller black tubercle.
subventral surface with considerable
yellow.
Feet and anal shield black. Props
yellow ish-brown.
28 August. The larvae began to
spin, either loose cocoons in corners of the tin, or inside leaves drawn together. Pupa, 15 mm. long, of a bright
chestnut brown color. First imago
emerged
SPILOSOMA CONGR UA, Walk.
At Nonquitt, Mass., 7 June, 1889,
we found a nest of small, opaque, white, globular eggs on a leaf of Trifolium
agrarium. These eggs were exactly
like some received the same day from
Miss Morton, and laid by a 9 Spilosoma
conyrua. We found several moths of
6'. covzgrua, flying in Nonquitt this
year.
We watched the larvae through all
their moults. comparing the two sets
daily, and they proved the same through- out.
The eggs turned lead-colored the day
before they hatched. They hatched g
June.
The young larvae were 4 mm.
long, with black heads.
Body yellowish, with dark- warts,
from which sprung gray or black hairs.
Anal shield dark. Feet and props like
body.
They ate clover, but much preferred
plantain even to the Trifolium agra-
rim on which the eggs were laid.
When touched they curled up and
dropped from the leaf, like the other
*"woolly bears."
14 June. First moult. 6 mm. long.
Head black. Body-color yellow, with
black transverse dorsal lines between
the segments ; third and tenth segments
darker in color. Feet and props like
body. Warts dark, with sparse black-
ish or dark gray hairs.
17 June.
The black transverse lines
disappeared and the color on and
around the warts was deep brownish-
yellow.
18 June. Second moult. Head
black. Body color deeper and browner
yellow ; warts darker, with hairs longer and more numerous.
22 June. Third moult. 15 mm.




================================================================================

PSYCHE.
[ August-December I 889.
long. Head and feet black. Body-
color darker and browner than before,
with a dorsal white line, and lateral
orange line, broken between the seg-
ments.
Warts shiny black, with short very
black hairs, growing in tufts.
27 June. Fourth moult. 21 mm.
long. As before, only bigger and
blacker, and with the hairs longer.
Orange laterals deeper and brighter.
They move very rapidly with a quick,
jerky motion, stopping suddenly when
at the fastest speed.
4 July. Fifth moult. As before,
only larger, and with denser hairs.
10 July. They were from 25 mm.
to 29 mm. in length. Most of them
were very active and voracious. If
left without food for even a short time
they would eat such of their number as
were preparing to spin, and were there-
fore less vigorous than the rest !
I I July. Began spinning. Unless
the cocoons of the earlier spinners were removed the pupae would be found half
devoured by the larvae not yet ready to
spin, even when there was plenty of
food plant in the boxes.
The cocoons were oval, thin, with
hairs spun into them. Pupa of bright
chestnut color, short, stout.
Eggs, ovoid, pale green, laid about 7
July.
They hatched I 7 July ; having
grown yellow the day before.
Young larva, g mm. long, pale yel-
low, with short, yellow caudal horn ;
feet and props concolorous with body.
Anal props extended, in trailing points, beyond the anal shield.
They ate walnut.
21 July. First moult. 15 mm. long,
slightly rough. Head green, with a
long, conspicuous point on the apex.
Body, feet, props, and caudal horn
green.
The body had a longitudinal white
line on each side of the dorsal line, ex- tending' from head to horn.
The larvae drank greedily. In two
days the caudal horn grew brownish,
and faint yellow obliques appeared.
27 July. Second moult. Head
green, with two long brownish filamen-
tous points at apex. From these points
a brownish line extended down the back
of the head. The head was granulated
with yellowish-white points, and had
yellow face-lines.
6
Body green, gri-inulated with yellow-