. The Canadian field-naturalist. Natural history. 905] Nature Study—No. 29. 161 numbers in the salt-marshes about Boston, and was then g-iven the above popular name. It is not, however, we now know, restricted to salt , and the name is therefore misleading. This Woolly-bear, which is widely distributed throughout the United States and Canada, is noticed particularly in flower and vegetable gardens. It is a general feeder and seems to be satisfied with almost any low growing plant. When mature it measures about 2^ inches in length, and has a dark body with yellow markings along the side
. The Canadian field-naturalist. Natural history. 905] Nature Study—No. 29. 161 numbers in the salt-marshes about Boston, and was then g-iven the above popular name. It is not, however, we now know, restricted to salt , and the name is therefore misleading. This Woolly-bear, which is widely distributed throughout the United States and Canada, is noticed particularly in flower and vegetable gardens. It is a general feeder and seems to be satisfied with almost any low growing plant. When mature it measures about 2^ inches in length, and has a dark body with yellow markings along the sides. The hairs on the body are slender and mostly reddish or reddish-brown. This caterpillar becomes full grown in autumn, and the win- ter is passed in a different state from the preceding species, viz., as a pupa, inside a cocoon. This cocoon is much the same as of the Hedgehog Caterpillar, only a little larger ; it is form- ed in any convenient place where shelter can be obtained. To- wards the end of May, and during June, the perfect moths appear and often come to lights at night. The female moth is a beautiful insect. The wings are pure white, spotted with black, as is also the body, excepting the central abdominal segments above, which are orange. The male diff"ers from the female in being slightly smaller and in having the two hind wing-s bright buff yellow. The under-side of the wings are also buff yellow. The male moth is shown in the figure. TiiE Vei-Low Woolly-bear, Diacrisia virginica. Fab.—Occur- ring also in gardens, feeding on many low plants, and even sometimes eat- ing the foliage ot trees, is another hairy caterpillar, called the Yellow Woolly-bear. This kind resembles very much immature specimens of the Salt- marsh Caterpillar, but differs in not being so large when full grown, the hairs being shor- ter, and the body not so dark. It also lacks the distinct yellow markings on the sides. Although called the Yellow Woolly-bear trom the colour of the
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