The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-02

aH ANY specimens of moths and
INN butterflies may be caught with
the net. but the most perfect
ones are procured by raising the cater
pillars from which they originate. Rails
ing caterpillars is one of the most in
teresting of pastimes. because 1t teach
es us to observe the natural growth and
development of moths and butterflies.
This is more profitable than the mere
act OF capturing them. great many
people despise the nasty green worm"
OF the garden. In fact, they are not
worms at all. but caterpillars. worms
being entirely different. And who could
despise them If he knew into what beau
tiful creatures the caterpillars will be
transformed:
In raising caterpillars we must be-
gin with the eggs. Some butterflies lay
their eggs around the stems OF plants.
but generally they deposit them upon
the under side of leaves. If you watch
closely you may sometimes discover the
female in the act OF laying them They
are usually laid in clusters.
When you have found cluster OF eggs
put them on the top of box filled with
moist sand. In a few days the young
Will dppcdI. ney nluSl Dc
fed with the leaves of the plant on
which they were found. Most works
upon butterflies give two or three spe-
cies of plants upon which the same cat
erpillars may feed. II you can find out
into what kind OF butterfly or moth your
caterpillar will be transformed you can
discover the different plants that may
be used as food. This rule does not al
ways apply, however, for one cacerpil-
lar may eat one food plant, while an
other one of the same species may refuse
il.
In case you do not raise the cater
pillars from the eggs, but hunt for the
half OF full grown ones, the following
facts should be remembered:
Caterpillars are found mostly on the
leaves OF plants. They can be discov-
cred by observing the leaves which are
eaten and the frass or ejectamenta
which'is found on the ground close by.
When caterpillars are large enough
they must be transferred TO a breeding
cage The thing most essential in max
ing a breeding cage is a crate like those
in which strawberries are sent TO mar
ket. This may be procured at any mar
ket for a few cents. The next thing
TO do is TO cover the crate with wire
netting leaving q space open at one of
the corners 10 be used as a door. This
space must be large enough to allow
bunch of leaves to pass through It.
Put a few leaves of the plant on which
you found the caterpillar with it. In
small notebook write a short descrip-
tion of 1t, including the date OF its cap
ture and the food plant. Always do
this, for il saves a great deal OF con-
fusion if you have many specimens. 1t
may also be used to record the number
OF moults and the time of each.
Caterpillars, while they are growing
change their skin four or FIVE times
This process is called moulting. Moult-
ing generally takes place at regular in
tervals. The caterpillar grows until its
skin becomes too small. Then IL stops
feeding and remains quiet for while
The skin then splits open and the cater
pillar crawls out OF *. After moulting
the new skin is just as perfect as the
old one was, but the co1oring may be ?
little different. Sometimes the part 81
the old skin that was the head remains
attached to the caterpillar for a day or
two.
After the caterpillar has finished feed
ing il is ready TO change into pupa, or
chrysalis. The caterpillars of butter
flies change into chrysslids without
spinning a cocoon, while the caterpillars
of moths spin a cocoon. the chrysalis
being inside Of II. Some caterpillars OF
butterflies attach themselves 10 a stone,
branch. or some other projecting object,
while others have a girdle of silk that
passes around the chrysalis. More chry-
salids are dark In color, but few are
very brilliant. The chrysalid OF. the
monarch or milkweed butterfly Is pale
green, with golden spots on IL resem-
bling nails.
Some butterflies remain as chrysallds
for only few weeks, while others pass
the winter in this state. Most Of the
butterflies that are thus brooded have a
brood near winter. Then the caterpillar
does not have time to finish its feeding
properly and is compelled 10 hibernate
over winter. Caterpillars that do this
are harder 10 raise than those that do
not They must be kept in cold place,
either exposed 10 the weather or kept
ia an ice chest.