Found throughout the region of the Gulf southward to South America. (2) Melanchroia geometroides Walker, Plate XLII, Fig. 18, ô . Syn. mors Lucas. The moth occurs in Florida and southern Texas, and ranges thence southward into Brazil. SUBFAMILY BREPHINÆ Genus BREPHOS Ochsenheimer (1) Brephos infans Moschler, Plate XLII, Fig. 16, 9. (The Infant.) This is a boreal insect which occurs upon the White Mountains in New Hampshire, in northern Maine, and ranges thence northwardly to Labrador. LIVING AND DYING "Then let me joy to be Alive with bird and tree, And have no haughtier aim than this, So shall my soul at peace Fed slowly like a wholesome bud With sap of healthy thoughts and good That when at last I die No praise may earth deny, But with her living forms combine To chant a threnody divine." EDMUND GOSSE.-The Farm. FAMILY EPIPLEMIDÆ "And I will purge thy mortal grossness so, That thou shalt like an airy spirit go. Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!" SHAKESPEARE.-Midsummer Night's Dream, III, 1. This is a family of small moths in many respects closely allied to the Geometrida, so far as the structure and general appearance of the mature insects are concerned. The larvæ are, however, quite different. The family has been described as follows by Hampson, "The Moths of India," Vol. III, p. 121: "Proboscis and frenulum present. Fore wing with vein a separate from 1b; 1c absent; 5 from or from above the middle of the discocellulars; 7 widely separated from 8, and usually stalked with 6. Hind wing with two internal veins; vein 5 from or from above the middle of the discocellulars; 8 free from the base. Larva with five pairs of prolegs and sparsely clothed with hair." The family is much better represented in the tropics of the New World than in our territory, and even better represented in the tropics of the Old World than of the New. Only four genera are known to occur within the United States, Philagraula, Callizia, Calledapteryx, and Schidax. Of these we have selected one for purposes of illustration. Genus CALLEDAPTERYX Grote (1) Calledapteryx dryopterata Grote, Plate XLII, Fig. 17, 8. Syn. erosiata Packard. This little moth, which may easily be distinguished by its deeply eroded or scalloped wings, is not uncommon in the Appalachian subregion. It has the habit of alighting upon old rails and the trunks of trees, and, before composing itself on its new station, of waving its wings three or four times upward and downward. This peculiar habit enables the collector to quickly recognize it. FAMILY NOLIDE "I would bee unwilling to write anything untrue, or uncertaine out of mine owne invention; and truth on every part is so deare unto mee, that I will not lie to bring any man in love and admiration with God and his works, for God needeth not the lies of men."-TOPSELL, writing upon the Unicorn in The Historie of Fourfooted Beasts. This is a small family of quite small moths, which have by many authors been associated with the Lithosiida. They are characterized by the presence of ridges and tufts of raised scales upon the fore wings. They frequent the trunks of trees, and the larvæ feed upon lichens growing upon the bark. The caterpillars have eight pairs of legs and are thinly clad with minute hairs. Four genera occur within the limits with which this book deals. Genus CELAMA Walker Seven species occurring within our territory are attributed to this genus. (1) Celama triquetrana Fitch, Plate XIII, Fig. 25, 3. Syn. trinotata Walker; sexmaculata Grote. The moths may be found in the early spring of the year, sitting upon the trunks of trees in the forest. They are easily recognized by the three black tufts of raised scales upon the costa of the fore wing. (2) Celama pustulata Walker, Plate XIII, Fig. 26, 3. Syn. nigrofasciata Zeller; obaurata Morrison. This species, like the preceding, is common in the Appalachian subregion. It may be at once distinguished from the former by the wide black band running across the middle of the primaries. Genus NOLA Leach There are three species of the genus found within our fauna. We select the commonest for purposes of illustration. (1) Nola ovilla Grote, Plate XIII, Fig. 24, 3. The habits of this insect are much like those of the species described under the preceding genus. It is found associated with them at the same time and in the same localities. The moth has It a considerable range in the Atlantic States, and is always very abundant in the forests of Pennsylvania in the early spring. seems to prefer the trunks of beeches and oaks. Genus ROSELIA Hübner (1) Roselia fuscula Grote, Plate XIII, Fig. 27, 9. Syn. conspicua Dyar. This moth is a native of Colorado, where it is not uncommon. An allied species, Roselia minuscula Zeller, is found in the Atlantic States. Genus NIGETIA Walker (1) Nigetia formosalis Walker, Plate XIII, Fig. 32, 3. Syn. melanopa Zeller. This rather pretty little creature is common in the woodlands of the Appalachian subregion. It is freely attracted to sugar, and when sugaring for moths in southern Indiana I have taken it very frequently. In fact, it appears to be commoner in southern Indiana than in any other locality where I have found it, though it is by no means rare in Pennsylvania. FIG. 207.-N. formosalis, &. i. (After Hampson.) Your secret's out! I know you for the souls FAMILY LACOSOMIDE Everything lives by a law; a central balance sustains all." This is a small family of moths peculiar to the Western Hemisphere. While the perfect insects show structural resemblances to the Platypterygida, the caterpillars, which have the habit of constructing for themselves portable cases out of leaves, which they drag about with them, resemble in some respects the Psychida. The young larva of Cicinnus melsheimeri, immediately after hatching, draws together two small leaves with strands of silk, and makes between them its hiding-place. Afterward, when more mature, it detaches two pieces of leaves and makes out of them a case which it carries about with it, and which it can desert at will. When at rest it ties the case to a station selected with a few strands of silk, which it bites off when it desires again to start on a journey among the branches. The larva of Lacosoma makes a case by doubling a leaf at the midrib, cutting it off at the petiole, and taking it with it as a portable house. There are only two genera of this family in our fauna. It is more abundantly represented in the tropics of South America. (1) Cicinnus melsheimeri Harris, Plate XLI, Fig. 17, 9. (Melsheimer's Sack-bearer.) Syn. egenaria Walker. The species occurs in the eastern portions of our territory. It is not uncommon in Pennsylvania. Genus LACOSOMA Grote (1) Lacosoma chiridota Grote, Plate XLI, Fig. 21, ♂. (The Scalloped Sack-bearer.) The distribution of this species is the same as that of the foregoing. It occurs quite frequently in western Pennsylvania. Specimens from Florida in the possession of the author are smaller and much darker in color. |