The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1889-01-23
For THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIsT.
The Orange Dog.

The Orange Dog.
This worm is of special interest on ac-
count Of it's generally living on the or
ange tree and other species OF the citrus
family. But contrary to what most peO-
pie suppose, it has another food plant
that it seems to prefer to the orange tree
1T is the prickly ash (ZanthoXylum caro-
linianum) that grows in our hammOcks
The parent OF this hideous worm is one of
our largest and handsomest butterflies
(Papillio cresphontes). They can be seen
almost any summer day flying along our
streets. and often in store fronts, where
they have mistaken the window for the
door in trying to- get out. Their back is
Jet black, with uninterrupted yellow band
extending parallel to the front of the
wings, and another similar band OF yel-
low spots running parallel to the back or
outer edge. There is q tail on each hind
wing, with a yellow spot. Above the tail,
on the margin of the hind wing Tor sec
ondary), is whatis called the anal spot;
it is brilliant red surmounted by creS-
cent of blue dust. The lower side is yell
low with black margin and ribs. On the
hind wings these ribs run from band of
red, blue and black about the middle OF
the wing. The body is yellow with a
black streak on the back. Altogether, it
is a beautiful butterfly, and compared
with the worm it comes from it is q good
example of the wonderful transformation
that great Creator produces even in as
low an order of nature as hideOus, Shiny
worms. 6F%
Most everyone in Florida who has had
anything to do with orange culture
knows the orange dog The butterfly
lays her eggs on q tender bud or close to
one. 1t is about the size of a pin-head,
and covered with very short and fine
bristles. When the worm matches it first
eats the tender bud leaves, and as it
grows older it takes to the coarser and
older leaves. When mature this worm
has eaten somewhere near 80, 900 times
it's original weight when Matched, ac-
cording to experiments made by A. S.
Packard, Jr. TheWorm appears to have
a very large head i'll proportion to it's
body, but it's true head is in front and
underneath the large part OF the body,
and is very small and hard. 1t has two
musk organs, which it runs out in defense
and throws volatile and very disagree
able oil some little distance. The front
part OF the body bears strong reeem-
blance to a bulldogs head, which gives
the worm it's popular name.
The coloring is a white band to repre-
sent the dogs lips, then brown quite a
ways, with fine, irregular white lines;
next white patch with a little brown
mixed in spots, then brown again, then
ending in white.
When it gets ready for Transformation,
it goes down among the branches
near the trunk, or where it will be well
hidden from view, and fastens q silk
thread across it's back and to the tree on
each side; then shedding it's skim itappears
in new form, well representing coffin, and
just as near the color of the bark of the
tree as hand could paint it. EARLY
broods soon hatch, butthose ethatchange
to the chrysalis state in the fall remain
SO until the following spring.
The damage one of these worms will do
to a tender, thrifty tree in reaching ma
turity is wonderful. Theirspecial delight