BUTTERFLY AND MOTH BOOK, ROBERTSON-MILLER

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BUTTERFLY AND
MOTH BOOK
PERSONAL STrDIES AND OBSERVATIONS OF THE
MORE
FAMILIAR SPFX'IES

BY

ELLEN ROBERTSON-MILLER

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM nRAWIXGS
BY THE AITTHOR AND
PHOTOGRAPHS BY J. LYONEL KING, G. A. BASH,

DR. F. D. SNYDER, AND OTHERS

TORONTO
McClelland & goodchild
Publishers


COPTMOHT,

1912,

BT

CHARLES 3CR1BNER'8 SONS
Published April. 1912

V

}o

V


TO MY HUSBAND
AND THE TWO GOOD FRIENDS, J. N. M. AND L, W.
WHO HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED AND AIDED
ME IN MY WORK WITH INSECTS
THIS BOOK

IS

DEDICATED

O.,



—

FOREWORD
My

interest in

Moths and

ten years ago while at

was awakened some
the farm on which we spent our sumButterflies

mers.

The

big flower garden and the old orchard served free

luncheons to these insects and, judging by numbers, they
appreciated the treats offered.

At the time I was in need of an entire change of thought
a relaxation from the strain which had come with the long
illness of the little mother.
She had grown better, but I
realized that henceforth she would always require my personal
care and attention, and I wanted to gjve her not only these

but some new interests which might replace in part other
interests that she would be obliged to relinquish.
It

was then that the Moths

fljnd

Butterflies solved these

problems, for they led us into the fa|iy-land of Natural Science,
where, as we journeyed, we forgot much of the fatigue and
pain of earlier days.

The

following year I found that the children of the ne
borhood, and even the children's parents, were taking an in

'

which we reared in soap-box vivariums on
the side porch, for they began to bring and send us specimens

est in the insects

vii


FOREWORD
found

in their

gardens and

fields,

to

and were always glad

Of course,
learn about the life-histories under observation.
to ask the little folks to
this interest pleased me. and I began
the house
place, like

when something especially important was to take
of a family
the hatching of moth eggs, the moulting

On one such
cocoons.
of caterpillars, or the spinning of
watched a small white
occasion, as a group of boys and girls
heard me explam that
butterfly emerge from its chrysalis and
a green "cabbage
the week before the butterfly had been
and asked: "Why don't you write

worm," a lad looked up
you tell us?
about these things and tell other children what
remained, and the tiny seed
It was a new idea, but the idea
did begin to
sowed by the boy germinated and took root. I

them—and now I have
write about the insects as I knew
published in difgathered together some of those first stories
others of more recent date
ferent periodicals and have added
the hope that
and am sending them out in book form, with
persons feel for
they will lessen the antipathy which many
a more intimate
creeping things and aid others to gain

But, most
"
acquaintance with the frail children of the air."
one weary and overof all, I want this book to reach some
relaxation, and enjoytaxed, and help him to find the rest,
little mother
ment in the fairy-land of Natural Science that the
showed us the
and I found when the Moths and Butterflies
wav.
i wish to express

.

„

Country Life in Amenca,
" The American Inthe Presbyterian Board of Publication,
"Brooklyn Eagle,"
ventor," "The New Idea Magazine,"
"
" Phila,ielphia North American,"
Our Animal Friends," and
" Nature Story Syndicate " for certain illustrations and
the
also to acknowlextracts of subject-matter used in this book;
interest of
edge with deep appreciation the services and kindly
the

many

friends

my thanks

who have

to "

aided

me

in

my

work.
E. R.-M.

viu


CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.

The Moth and the Bcttehflt

1

The Secret of the Silken Pockets

1«

ni.

A Home Not Made

20

IV.

A

II.

V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.

IX.

X.

with Hands

.

May Some Day Give U
Cheap and Durable Silk

Caterpillar That

27

Lady Luna

33

Our Common Silk-worm

42

A

40

Caterpillar with Weapons of Defence

Odd Doings Underground

54

The Biography of a Royal Moth

02

The Riddle of the

09

XL A "Worm"

Insect Pitcher

of Promise

....
....

74

The Biography of a Bumblebee Moth

79

Xni.

The Walnut Sphinx

84

XIV.

An Unexpected

XII.

XV.
XVI.

A Mint

Chersis

.

.

Feeder

'

.

90
95

The Unmasking of Two Frauds
iz

.

102


CONTENTS

FAOa

XVII.

XVm.
XIX.

A Gbapb-vine

Slt and Sbcketive Undebwings

XXII.
XXIII.

.

.

WaTEB-IX)VING CATERPIUiAR

•

•

.HO

.

Odd Insect Homes AND Their Inmates

XX. A
XXI.

*""

Feeder

A Moth That Deuberately PoLUNATBS

.

.

119

•

•

1*

A Plant

185

1**

The Pest OF THE Woodbine

A

^*^

"Pubs" Caterpillar

159

.

XXIV. Young Architects

XXV. A Gay Masquerader
171

XXVI. Door-step Neighbors
XXVII.

XXVIII

179

Orchard Visitors

185

The Monarch

XXIX. Silver-spangled Butterflies

XXX. The

Little Blue Butterfly

XXXI.

"Rag Carpet" Worms

XXXII.

A Clever Caterpillar

XXXni. The Pawpaw Butterfly
XXXIV. A Southern Swallow-tail

XXXV. The Blue

Swallow-tail

XXXVI. An Unexpected Guest

.

.

•

•

.

•

•

•

1^1

l^^

^^
911

218
904

99Q


ILLUSTRATIONS
FAOC

and butterflies, showing some
shape and size

Scales of moths
in

of the variations

2

Antennae of motlis

2

Antennae of butterflies

2

Position of butterfly at res t

3

Position of

Eggs of

Tho

A

moth at

rest

4

butterflies

5

log house of a caterpillar

6

caterpillar

7

A Swallow-tail larva ready to become a chrysalis and supported by
the silk rope

The

legs,

8

long tongue, and folded wings show through the

pupa

covering

The pupa

is

g

protected by a shell

9

Vanessa antiopa butterfly clinging to the chrysalis from which it
recently emerged. The lifted "trap-door" shows the opening through which

it

escaped

10
xi


ILLUSTRATIONS

A moUi dinging to » cocoon from which ihe hM jiut emerged
At the wingi begin

18

.

...

to strengthen and take form

AU of the characteriatic band* and markings of the

species

14

became

apparent

male
Female moth clinging to her cocoon, and a
Promethea larvae after the second moult

Promethea UtfVK

These cocoons are pouches of rough brownish

silk

*^

...

81

**

skins

first

The Cecropia during

16

.

^"^

Uwt skins

in their

After casting then-

visitor

its last

creeping days

is

a conspicuous cater-

pillar

open doorway at the end
Cecropia moths when they waken find an
of their cocoons

The body

of the

The Cynthia

moth

is

**

large

caterpillars

were on a young tree of heaven

Male moth and cocoon
degrees
This side porch had been converted by

.

29

.

31

into

an

insect

nursery
Actios luna

moth
37

A fully grown caterpillar
The cocoon

of the

first

The pupa stood upon

spmner

its

....

caudal extremity

Polyphemus cocoons, showing the manner

38

in

39

which they are

^^

attached to the tree

45

A partly-grown caterpillar
wild
A. I discovered two families upon a

traveded single

The mature

file,

B.

They

close together

green To

Opened cocoon, showing moth

The male

cherry tree.

just

in act of

coming from pupa case

.

48
49

emerged
zii


—

ILLUSntVTIONS

—^and continued to photograph

We turned

the camera upon him

him

HO

was ready to

^-until he

The

females were larger and entirely different in color

They had the

The

51

fly

cp.terpillars

The pupa

....

big eye-spots on th<; hind wings

.

.

donned pale-green skins

51

52
5S
55

of the Imperialis

Male moths

56

One young

57

larva feeding on hemlock

This picture

is

viewed down-side up, and the insects seem to be

reared as for mortal
It stretched its

body

combat

until the

59

edge of the

leaf

was barely within
60

reach

Male and female

They had a

Imperialis

moths

61

decidedly stilted appearance

63

After the third moult

Burrowing

The

64

smooth and cement the walls of

caterpillars

wings, antennse, and legs of the future

moth

plainly

A caterpillar five and one-half inches in

length

their cells

65

bitow quite

....

Royal moth, the Regalis

66
66
67

The inmate is found to have very prominent eyes and club-shaped
antennae

The gray moth
They

70
of the

"Tomato worm" on

are the most pugnacious of

all

the bark of a tree

.

the larvae which I have

studied

The granulated

71

72
skin

was a

characteristic of the

Modesta

.

.

75

Matins Modesta larva

76

Female moth

77

A

black

homed

green caterpillar

80
xiii


ILLUSTRATIONS
The Juf^dii ready
Pupa fhowmg

M

to caat tU ikin

spines oi» certain segments

Pup« showing the

flattening of the

87

...

and segmenU

87
^^

Blale and female moths

down the

I brought
It

seemed to

me

crawlers; to

my

89

disgust they were Cccropias

that from hour to hour I could notice an increase

^^

in the sise of this caterpillar

The pupa with iU distinguishing
A tailor-dressed moth
1 en-marked Sphinx

moth

tongue-case

.

.

.

W

.

®*

^

at rest

A Thoracic and B caudal patterns on partly grown larva;

.

The mud-brown "worm" with black "cap"

.

.

•

97

-09
^"^

Pupa

A

moths

pair of

Five pairs of oblique patches upon Pandorus and
Acheroon

The

eye-likd tubercle

aix pairs up«>n

on the caudal end of the larva

.

.

.

iOS

Pandorus

Achemon

...

r.

X
pupa
Empty

107

whore they
During the day the mollis ri^main on some plant,
seem to sleep

Mature larva

The

^^*

of C. relkia

slender dark-brown pupae of C. relida

Male and female moths

of C. relida

Catocoia owMrfrix larva partly

Catocala amatrix larva

Upper

C. cara

moth
1
moth J

anudrix

*

.

•

•

•

11^

grown

Mature

Lower—C.

.

US
IH
^^^

....
*

ziv

116


ILLUSTRATIONS
rAoa

CaftMO&iiMoyaMa larva partly grown
CatoaJa r >gama larva
Bag-Wf>rt.i

They

fully

grown

117
.

.

travelled

IHO

on the under side of a

leaf or twig

.

In September the Bag- worm houses became stationary

Pupa

of

.117

.

Iioufleii

.

.

144

.

.

IM

Nymphula keiiudit

128

The bristle-like setae on the head and
of Nymphula ieeiumdia

the firstand second segments

120

Larva of Ngmphula kciuaalia

130

PfAamogelon nutatu leaf with pupa case o. e-fifth smaller than life
size attached to stem at ^.
A foundation piece being cut out
at B.

Holes

in

a water fern

leaf

made by

the larv« at

C

ISl

ySymphula icriuMlu moth
large

133

bed of Kurcayf^m^ntora

anuba moth

in

I37

the flower

138

loth with pellet of pollen under her head

139

pods of Kurrayf/amen/Ma
Jl

round openings

l^en the

first

in

I43

the sides of the pods

.

flowers of KMcco^I/aw.f «/o«a open

The brown-banded caterpillars of the woodbine

The

moths with eight lemon disks on

little

'•^8s
irviE of

.

.

.

.

.

.

their black velvet

........

"Puss" moth

lead of young caterpillar

"Puss" moth. Centra

152

15«

cinerea

I55

The hibernaculum

,

Basilarchia cuts and snips
ne feature of the house

150

I53

Two cocoons spun on old wood
The

.145
.146
.149

away the

l* its

leaf

.

.

.

balcony

Showing the denuded midvein and rubbbh bundles
JC9

«

.157
158

.

.

.158


ILLUSTRATIONS
FAOS

It actually flaunts

its

the leaf where

it

butterflies, of

one side
161

I

butterfly

J

close
which the Viceroy has become a

greet us in the spring

of the first butterflies to

The mature

two and one-half

larvse are

the
Caterpillar ready to change to

The

skin cracks at the head
emerging chrysalis

The

insect

If

is

^^^

...

copy
...

A
The gay little masquerader

One

^^

feeds

Upper—Viceroy butterfly
Lower—Red-spotted Purple
Monarch

surface of

humps and bumps upon the

hump on

chrysalis with

The

ugly

.

inches in length

pupa

state

.

sometimes caught

in its

no axx^ident has occurred the
hang secure

.

•

166

.

.

167

•

•

•

and wrinkles back and

163

!«»

from the

off

^^

own "headgear"

.

168

•

irregular shells of violet-brown

^^^

....

whose edges were
was perfectly hidden by a leaf
silk
drawn together and fastened with

Each

caterpillar

173

Painted

Lady

caterpillar

to pupate in its

A Painted Lady caterpillar hanging ready
chrysalis
upon the

They hung

thistle

and a suspended

.

bower
.

.

old-fashioned "ear-bobs"
together like a pair of
..

,

X,

.

-

'<

.

175

.

17«

*

Pyrameis carduihuiiertty

white
the flower-heads of the

Painted Beauty caterpillar amid
and aromatic everlasting

They

are often seen

upon the

leaves of

Each Grapta

carries

under side

of its

....

hop

silver or gold
Chrysalis decked with rows of

^^^

spoU

a distinguishing hall-mark

.

in silver

•

•

180
l^^

on the
^^^

hind wings
.

A Grapta caterpillar
xvi

183


1

ILLUSTRATIONS
One day
and

The

A

....

I noticed a large tawny-and-black butterfly approach
upon its blossoming surface

alight

larva of the

Monarch

butterfly feeding

upon milkweed

.

186
187

gold-dotted chrysalis hung suspended where the caterpillar

had been

and markings

I could see the color

of its wings

....

188

189

Silver-spangled butterflies

192

A

193

cybele chrysalis

Butterflies of Argynnia cyhele.

A, female; B, male; C, under

surface of butterfly's wings

The

Little

Blue

Caterpillars

194

butterflies

197

on buds of black cohosh

198

Larva with geometrical pattern, and bud showing opening
through which it has fed

201

Chrysalides of Little Blue butterfly

202

"Rag

205

carpet" worms

A partly

grown

caterpillar

205

Chrysalis

207

Black Swallow-tail

These

butterflies

208

butterflies are frequently seen along the

It just touched the blossoms as
i

it

roadways

.

.

passed

212

\A partly grown larva
|The Green Cloud larva
it

Its

213
fully

grown, showing leaf-house in which

lives

gj4

big eye-spots seemed to glare at

me most

wickedly

The beautifully proportioned chrysalis emerged

t'awpaw

"worms"

.215

.

,

216

gjQ

Pawpaw

immer form

.

.

gjg

The chrysalis

small

209

butterfly

221

of Ajax

ggg
xvii


ILLUSTRATIONS

that

225

The

leaves
larva that ate orange

Front view of chrysalis

.

226
'

*

•

227

moth-hke pose
butterfly in a
The Giant Swallow-tail
•
the under side
The orange markings of

230
231

My lady and her mate
moult
After the fourth
The

232

233

insects

went Up-tapping about

of silk

threads

.

235

237

,

A
A full-grown caterpill*''-pupa,

'

butterfly

•

238

.

straw-color and black

Suspended

•

•

•

•

•

into
caterpillar transforming

or chrysalis of the

The dark form

of

Tumus

.

239

.

240

.

241

'

th

.
.

Pajnlw tumus butterfly

Ames.
Cover Design by May

XVIU

242


BUTTERFLY AND MOTH BOOK



BUTTERFLY AND MOTH BOOK
CHAPTER

I

THE MOTH AND THE BUTTERFLY
"In Nature's

A

I

little

T

infinite

book of secrecy

can read."

moth or butterfly is a
veritable fairy tale, and of absorbing interest when we study the development

(HE

history of a

of the insect through the four periods of
istence.

The first

by a moth or

period

is

its

ex-

that of the egg laid

butterfly mother; the second, that

of the larva or caterpillar which hatches from
it;

the thi d, the mysterious

which the
its fill

pupa

caterpillar passes after

and

of green leaves

is

state into

it

fully

has eaten

grown.

In

the fourth period the remarkable transformation
t^mi:
is

shell

a

completed, the insect comes from the pupa

beautiful creature like

its

parents, with wonderful

and designs upon the wings. These patterns are due
minute scales, and on account of them the moths and

colors

to

butterflies are classed

among

\r

^s

as the Lepidoptera or

Scale- wings.

To

seem but so much dust; under
the microscope, however, they show great variation in shape
and size. They are arranged with overlapping edges like the
scales of a fish, and, as we w.ho have captured butterflies know,
the naked eye, the scales

the slightest touch loosens them.


r
BOOK
BUTTERFLY AND MOTH
»•

A

frequent question

:«.
is.

"How
How

can I
ca

tell

a moth from a
^^^

„f the variations
b-tteHlie,. .ho^^n^«
scales of moths and
-^^^^^^

•'

in

shape and Bi»e

- -• txr;rrixfr.rt r.

Aflrf Parkard

Antenna- of

aay««,e.,

moths (enlarned)

.nd .gain, the -'»-'

Antenna

(enlarged)
of butterflies

^^f,r.Say:"^t:;".

Si^^r.ti::s^'^oMr>;t..i.ve.ea,
position.


THE MOTH AND THE BUTTERFLY

We know

that the butterflies go to the flowers

and

to the

sap of trees for their food, sipping the nectar through long hollow tongues. When not in use, these tongues are coiled like

a watch-spring and held
the

close to

mouth between a pair of feath-

ery mufflers, the palpi of the insect.

Certain varieties of moths also

have tongues through which they
feed,

but other species, that of the

SatumiidcB, for example, lack this

organ or have

it

but poorly devel-

oped, therefore they cannot eat.

Another question frequently

asked

is:

"How long

or butterfly live

does a moth

We can readily

?"

understand that these silk-spinning
Saturniidae

with undeveloped

mouth-parts will have but a brief

But a number

winged existence.
of

our

common

the winter in a

They

butterflies

dormant

cling to the

Fhototniph bn King

pass

Position of butterfly at rest

condition.

under surfaces of boards and twigs or hide

in the crevices of old buildings

or

among leaves.

We all know

who go careening and frolicking before us
Other

in the sunshine as we take our first spring walks.
butterflies and many moths only live through the summer, or

them, for

until

it is

they

their food supply

is

exhausted or some accident over-

takes them.

The

eggs of moths and butterflies vary in

color according to species.

others are

Some

more than one-sixteenth

S

size,

shape, and

are the merest specks, while
of an inch in diameter.


BUTTERFLY AND MOTH BOOK
forma, and

They are spherical, flattened, oval, and of other
yellow, or red
may be white or of a pale blue, green, violet,
be
When examined under a lens, many are found to
color.
exquisitelv carved

and ornamented.

These eggs are

laid

by

groups, chains, en masse, or

the moth' or butterfly singly, in

Plulogtvph bw King

Position of

moth

at rest (two-thirds

life 8i«e)

but whatever the manSO as to form a ring about some twig;
exceptions, placed on or
ner of ovipositing, they are, with rare
the wee crawlers
near such plants as will be acceptable to

when they emerge.

This strange

instinct of the

winged mother

has caused much disentomologists hold that the

children
in caring for her caterpillar

cussion

among

scientists.

Some

nourished it in its larva
adult insect remembers the food which
plant is sought instinctively
state; others think that the food
4


THE MOTH AND THE BUTTERFLY

J

c,

B.

•t>.

D.

EgsB of

Gmpin xdmnm

butterflies (itreatly enlarged)

and located through the sense of smell.

Be this as it may, we
milkweed, the Violet-tip hop,
and the little white butterflies, so numerous about the
puddles
of muddy roads, cabbage or nasturtium leaves
as nurseries for
their young, and that these same young,
like all

know

that the

Monarch

selects

caterpillars,

refuse to eat
It is

any but

sometimes

their natural food plant.

difficult to

secure fresh leaves of a certain
kind for a family of growing larvce, or to feed
a caterpillar which
has come to you with nothing to indicate what

it has lived
upon. I frequently try different plants in the
hope that I may
chance upon a satisfactory substitute for what

is

I

am

seldom successful.

Still

my

efforts

desired, but

have sometimes been

rewarded, as in the case of the green "worm"
which I found
hiding in a rolled leaf whose edges it had
cleverly stitched together.
The leaf belonged to a small seedling plum tree, and
I
removed it and the occupant together with extra
food leaves to
a glass jar. Three days later, I was
surprised to see that the
caterpillar was not eating.
Something was wrong, but what I
could not tell.
Two more days passed,

and

half

its

former size, hut still

it

had

shrivelled to

refused to eat the plum-tree leaves.
me. Did the larva use the plum tree for
rest and concealment and feed
on something else? I gathered
leaves from trees and shrubs in the
neighborhood and placed

An inspiration came

his

wormship

it

to

in their midst,

but he would none of them.