Bombyx Didyma, Pal. Beauv. Ins. Lep. pl. 20.
Habitat: New York (Drury). India (Fabricius).
Upper Side. The antennæ are of a reddish colour, broad and pectinated, and, near the extremities, appear as if they were stripped of their comb-like appendages. The thorax and abdomen yellow, clouded with a light reddish-brown colour, inclining to crimson. The anterior wings are of a fine bright yellow, with several clouds on them of the same brown colour, whereof one takes its rise at the tips, and runs along the external edge to the lower corners, being narrower at the extremities than the middle, where it branches off, and unites to a large cloud near the shoulders. The yellow parts of all the wings appear as if sprinkled with dark irregular specks. The posterior wings are of the same bright yellow as the anterior, and have, in the middle of each, a small brown eye, with a lighter spot in its centre. An irregular bar of the same reddish brown colour crosses these wings, which, beginning at the outer angle, meets at the anal angle. The edges of all the wings are plain.
Under Side. The thorax and abdomen are yellow. All the wings are of the same yellow colour, and sprinkled with brown as on the upper side. The superior wings have on each a light reddish brown eye near the middle, with a light spot in the centre, and a round brown spot above it. The anterior margins next the body are of a reddish brown; and the same cloud that appears along the external edge of each wing on the upper side, appears also on this, but fainter. The inferior wings have a reddish brown eye in each near the middle, with a lighter spot in the centre, and of the same size as on the upper side.
The figure here given, is taken from the male; the female being much larger, expanding full six inches; the antennæ being thread-like, and not combed or pectinated as the male.
This species breeds twice in the year, namely in June and September. The caterpillar, according to Abbot, feeds on the plane-tree (Platanus occidentalis Linn.), oak, liquidambar, and pine trees. Some of them are of a tawny colour, others tawny and orange, others green. They are furnished with long rigid hairs, and the second and third segments of the body are also armed with two pair of short, erect, rugose horns. This insect is placed by Mr. Kirby in his new genus Cerocampa, together with Phalæna regalis, Fabr. Mr. Kirby had, however, evidently in view the caterpillars of the latter insect, when he proposed this generic name, and which are armed with numerous, long, erect, rigid spines, those near the head being curved, and giving the insect somewhat the appearance of a cockatoo. This larva is figured by Abbot and Smith, pl. 61, and specimens, admirably preserved by Abbot, are contained in the collection of the Entomological Society of London, presented by Mr. Kirby. There is also considerable difference between the chrysalides of these two insects, that of imperialis being more elongate, with a bifid tail, and with transverse rows of short abdominal spines, of which the chrysalis of regalis is destitute. One of the caterpillars observed by Abbot, went into the ground on the 16th of September, and the moth came out on the 4th of July. They are extremely difficult to rear in confinement.
NOCTUA SQUAMULARIS.
Plate [IX]. fig. 3.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna. Family: Noctuidæ, Steph.
Genus. Noctua, Auct.