New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
ON A COCOON HUNT.
PRIZES WHICH AWAIT THE COLLECio"
IN THE PARKS.

WINTER HOMES OF BRILLIANT HUED MOTHS A"N
To RE ro,-Np cIJNGING TO BARE TwIGs
AND UNDER WHITEHEAD LEAVES
Looking for the winter home OF the chrss''n1
that in the coming spring or early sun'' n ,dds
hatch out into a splendid moth or butterhy ". u
a zest and an object to winter walk through '"e
parks. along the country roads ana Tue 0orr ,r,
that are within easy ride OF the Guy a
Park Is full of cocoons. II one only mas me-
and knows where to look for them Inc o'e ,o
will probably be disappointed at his Few us0o'
but as in every other business. experience so'a
long way, and after little practice =,
can spy a Luna or a Cecropa cocoon ai'' '
pocket it with much pleasure. store IL away
home. and know that he will have perirc' -
men TO add 10 his collection OF puttern'' 49,
summer
The collector around here will find his chief mar
vest among the Bombyces. called Atticus by LIN
naeus They are distinguished from the rest OF '"o
Saturnians by having wide ana nat ai'
like short oval feathers. In both sexes, ana ny VI"
heshy warts on the backs Of their caterpi,''''
which are richly colored and tipped with minute
br.stles. Pre-cmnent above all moths iouhn III u'.'
locality Is the Atticus Luna. The wings oil '''s
fine insect are of n delicate light-green coior' anu
the hinder angle of the posterior Wings J., pr
longed so as 10 fern tail TO each. OF an Inc" anu
n half and more In length there Is proau PuIpe
wings extending also across the thoraX, ana Se"'
Ing backward a little branch to an cyeiikc spot
near the middle of the wing. These eye-spo's' vi
which there Is one on each OF the WIDE "
transparent In the centre. and are encircieu ny
rings of white. red yellow and black Inc "''
borders OF the wings are more or less edgeu .,
scaloped with purple brown. The wihss Japan"
from "a. to 5ia inches.
The caterpillar of this moth lives on the walnut
and hickory on which it may be found, fiiy grown.
toward the enl OF July and during the mont" VI
August. 1t is OF pale and very clear buish-s'c'"
color; there is yellow stripe on each size oi 'ne
body and the back is crossed between the rings by
transverse lines OF the yellow color; on each
of the rings are about six minute pcarl-coIored
warts tinged with purple and furnishing few niue
hairs, and at me extremity OF the body are thiee
brown spots edged above with yellow. When about
TO retire for It's winter s.eep II draws together Win
silken threads three leaves OF the tree ana
within the hollow thus formed spins an oval anu
very close and strong cocoon about one and three
quarter inches long, and Immediately anerward
changes TO 4 chrysalls. The cocoons fall from the
trees in the autumn with the leaves In which they
enveioped and the moths make their escape
from them In June
moth whose caterpillar Is much Ike that OF the
Luna both In coloring and habits is the royphcmus-
lie makes his in the manner and drops
TO the around in the autumn. To find the cocoons
the seafcher must turn over the dropped leaves OF
The caterpillar OF the At,cus Cecropia anchors
his winter home longltudinally to the side OF
twig. 1t 10 on an average three inches long ana
one inch In diameter at the widest part It's snap
oa an o'iP 6e outer STs o Sn Srn n MnRd and
bling brown paper In color and thickness when this
to be lined WITH "A quantity II loose yellow brown.
strong SILK. surrounding an inner oval cocoon com
Ike tha; OF the silk-worm The caterpillar feeds
chiefly on the apple cherry and birch trees. az "cl
on currant, alder and barberry bushes. ana us
be found where these grow.
The catep p ar Of egs ON has ana
Wild cherry though he my also srins hS ham am
azaea the s~anp-pink and me button BAL a
few brown and cuiIel leaves may frequently b"
sen hans ron Fg or D o q"
IL examined II viii b" found 10 be retained % a
the iwig to a distance OF han an incn or more on
each SIDE OF the hLlf-siaik and Is thence carried
which Is wrapped up by the sides OF the leaf The
cocoon itself ~ about IN inch long. ana 20 strong -
cannot be severed wiihou, great force and cons.
covered envelope through all the storms ~ winter.
The cocoons OF Atticus cynthia. one OF the big
imported from that country with TN" ailantus
tree. on which the caterpillar feeds exclusively AMI
gulshed from that OF the prome,heuS. owing TO -
being larger and spun win whittier SIX. LIZ
rock. at least TO the wig ana M'ss India hnr
The moth expands from nyc TO i've ana one.ha.i
inches has pale olive green wings. bordercd by a
pal. l.ac ard white streak on its upper and lover
wings.
The collector o, cocoors often has d!sappolnt-
nent lie has been fore-tall-d by enemy IN the
shape OF n wasplike insect called ichneumon..
This parasite begins to wage its war on the inoncn
sive larvae Of these various moths cary In the
summer. singing the worm. and at the same time
injecting lts eggs, which hatch into small white
grubs that prey upon the vitals Of the worm. and
eventually. when the cocoon is spun. become a
they destroy. become ful-grown insects in the
coming summe; This H. after an perhaps. a WIS.,
check the inroals OF the caterpillars. but he
chneumon IL the bane and dsappon ment Of the
enthusiastic collector.