The Butterfly Book Part 27

(The White Admirals)

_b.u.t.terfly._--Head large; the eyes are large, naked; the antennae are moderately long, with a distinct club; the palpi are compact, stout, produced, densely scaled. The fore wings are subtriangular, the apex well rounded, the lower two thirds of the outer margin slightly excavated. The first two subcostal nervules arise before the end of the cell. The hind wings are rounded, crenulate.

_Egg._--Nearly spherical, with the surface pitted with large hexagonal cells (see p. 3, Fig. 1).

_Caterpillar._--The caterpillar in its mature state is cylindrical, somewhat thicker before than behind, with the second segment adorned with two prominent rugose club-shaped tubercles. The fifth segment, and the ninth and tenth segments also, are ornamented with dorsal prominences (see p. 8, Fig. 20).

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 106.--Neuration of the genus _Basilarchia_.]

_Chrysalis._--The chrysalis is suspended by a stout cremaster; the abdominal segments are rounded. On the middle of the dorsum is a prominent projecting boss. The thorax is rounded. The head is rounded or slightly bifid.

The caterpillars feed upon the leaves of various species of oak, birch, willow, and linden. The eggs are laid upon the extreme tip of the leaves, and the infant caterpillar, feeding upon the leaf in immediate proximity to the point where it has been hatched, attaches bits of bitten leaf by strands of silk to the midrib, thus stiffening its perch and preventing its curling as the rib dries. Out of bits of leaves thus detached it constructs a packet of material, which it moves forward along the midrib until it has completed its second moult. By this time winter begins to come on, and it cuts away for itself the material of the leaf on either side of the rib, from the tip toward the base, glues the rib of the leaf to the stem by means of silk, draws together the edges of the remaining portions of the leaf, and constructs a tube-like hibernaculum, or winter quarters, exactly fitting the body, in which it pa.s.ses the winter.

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 107.--Leaf cut away at end by caterpillar of _Basilarchia_ (Riley).]

[Ill.u.s.tration FIG. 108.--Hibernaculum, or winter quarters, of larva of _Basilarchia_.]

There are a number of species of the genus found in the United States, the habits of which have been carefully studied, and they are among our most interesting b.u.t.terflies, several species being mimics of protected species.

(1) =Basilarchia astyanax=, Fabricius, Plate XXII, Fig. 1, ?; Plate III, Figs. 17, 21, 25, larva; Plate IV, Figs. 12, 13, _chrysalis_ (The Red-spotted Purple).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This common but most beautiful species is sufficiently characterized by the plate so far as the upper surface is concerned. On the under side the wings are brownish, banded with black on the margins; the lunules are on this side as above, but the inner band of spots is red. There are two red spots at the base of the fore wings, and four at the base of the hind wings. The palpi are white below, and the abdomen is marked with a lateral white line on each side. Expanse, 3.00-3.25 inches.

_Egg._--The egg, which resembles somewhat closely that of _B. disippus_ (see p. 3, Fig. 1), is yellowish-green, gradually turning dark brown as the time for the emergence of the caterpillar approaches.

_Caterpillar._--The caterpillar is so well delineated in Plate III, Fig. 17, as to obviate the necessity for a lengthy verbal description.

_Chrysalis._--What has been said of the caterpillar is also true of the chrysalis (see Plate IV).

The larva feeds upon the willow, cherry, apple, linden (_Tilia_), huckleberry, currant, and other allied shrubs and trees. The b.u.t.terfly is somewhat variable, and a number of varietal forms have been described. It ranges generally over the United States and southern Canada as far as the Rocky Mountain ranges in the West, and is even said to occur at high elevations in Mexico.

(2) =Basilarchia arthemis=, Drury, Plate XXII, Fig. 4, ?, form =lamina=, Fabricius; Fig. 5, ?, form =proserpina=, Edwards, Plate III, Fig. 26, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 14, 23, _chrysalis_ (The Banded Purple).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Easily distinguished in the form _lamina_ from _astyanax_, which in other respects it somewhat closely resembles, by the broad white bands crossing both the fore wings and the hind wings, and followed on the secondaries by a submarginal row of red spots shading inwardly into blue. In the form _proserpina_ there is a tendency on the part of the white bands to become obsolete, and in some specimens they do entirely disappear. The likeness to _astyanax_ in such cases is striking, and the main point by which the forms may then be discriminated is the persistence of the red spots on the upper side of the secondaries; but even these frequently are obsolete. Expanse, 2.50 inches.

_Egg._--The egg is grayish-green, with "kite-shaped" cells.

_Caterpillar._--Greenish-or olive-brown, blotched with white in its mature form, which is well represented in Plate III. It feeds upon the willow, the hawthorn (_Crataegus_), and probably other plants.

_Chrysalis._--The figure in Plate IV is sufficiently exact to obviate the necessity for further description.

This beautiful insect ranges through northern New England and New York, Quebec, Ontario, and the watershed of the Great Lakes, spreading southward at suitable elevations into Pennsylvania. I have taken it about Cresson, Pennsylvania, at an elevation of twenty-five hundred feet above sea-level. It is not uncommon about Meadville, Pennsylvania. The species appears to be, like all the others of the genus, somewhat unstable and plastic, or else hybridization is very frequent in this genus. Probably all the species have arisen from a common stock.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXII | | | | 1. _Basilarchia astyanax_, Fabricius, ?. | | 2. _Heterochroa californica_, Butler, ?. | | 3. _Basilarchia lorquini_, Boisduval, ?. | | 4. _Basilarchia arthemis_, Drury, ?. | | 5. _Basilarchia arthemis_, Drury, var. | | _proserpina_, Edwards, ?. | | 6. _Basilarchia weidemeyeri_, Edwards, ?. | | | | [Ill.u.s.tration PLATE XXII.] | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

(3) =Basilarchia weidemeyeri=, Edwards, Plate XXII, Fig. 6, ?

(Weidemeyer's Admiral).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Superficially like _arthemis_, but easily distinguished by the absence of the lunulate marginal bands of blue on the margins of the hind wings and by the presence of a submarginal series of white spots on both wings. Expanse, 3.00 inches.

_Early Stages._--These have been described by W.H. Edwards in the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxiv, p. 107, and show great likeness to the following species, _B. disippus_. The caterpillar feeds upon cottonwood (_Populus_).

The insect is found on the Pacific slope and eastward to Montana, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

(4) =Basilarchia disippus=, G.o.dart, Plate VII, Fig. 4, ?; Plate III, Figs. 19, 22, 24, _larva_; Plate IV, Figs. 18-20, _chrysalis_ (The Viceroy).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This species mimics _Anosia plexippus_ in a remarkable manner, as may be seen by referring to Plate VII. An aberration in which the mesial dark transverse band on the secondaries has disappeared was named _pseudodorippus_ by Dr. Strecker. The type is in the Mead collection, now belonging to the writer. Expanse, 2.50-2.75 inches.

_Early Stages._--These have all been carefully studied by numerous writers. The egg is depicted on p. 3, Fig. 1. The caterpillar is shown on p. 8, as well as in Plate III.

The species ranges everywhere from southern Canada and British America into the Gulf States.

(5) =Basilarchia hulsti=, Edwards, Plate VII, Fig. 5, ? (Hulst's Admiral).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This form is apparently a mimic of _Anosia berenice_. The ground-color of the wings is not so bright as in _B. disippus_, and the mesial band of the secondaries on the upper side is relieved by a series of small whitish spots, one on each inters.p.a.ce. The perfect insect can easily be distinguished by its markings. Expanse, 2.50-2.60 inches. Thus far it is only known from Utah and Arizona. The early stages have not been described.

(6) =Basilarchia lorquini=, Boisduval, Plate XXII, Fig. 3, ? (Lorquin's Admiral).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Easily distinguished from all the other species of the genus by the yellowish-white bar near the end of the cell of the fore wings and the reddish color of the apex and upper margin of the same wings. Expanse, 2.25-2.75 inches.

_Early Stages._--These have been partially described by Henry Edwards, and minutely worked out by Dr. Dyar, for whose description the reader may consult the "Canadian Entomologist," vol. xxiii, p. 172. The food-plant of the caterpillar is _Populus_, willows, and the choke-cherry (_Prunus demissa_).

Besides the forms figured in our plates there is a species in Florida named _floridensis_ by Strecker, and subsequently _eros_ by Edwards, which is generally larger and much darker than _B. disippus_, which it otherwise closely approximates.

THE b.u.t.tERFLIES' FAD

"I happened one night in my travels To stray into b.u.t.terfly Vale, Where my wondering eyes beheld b.u.t.terflies _With wings that were wide as a sail_.

They lived in such houses of grandeur, Their days were successions of joys, And the very last fad these b.u.t.terflies had _Was making collections of boys_.

"There were boys of all sizes and ages _Pinned up on their walls_. When I said 'Twas a terrible sight to see boys in that plight, I was answered: '_Oh, well, they are dead.

We catch them alive, but we kill them With ether_--a very nice way: Just look at this fellow--his hair is so yellow, And his eyes such a beautiful gray.

"'Then there is a droll little darky, As black as the clay at our feet; He sets off that blond that is pinned just beyond In a way most artistic and neat.

And now let me show you the latest,-- A specimen really select, A boy with a head that is carroty-red And a face that is funnily specked.

"'We cannot decide where to place him; Those spots bar him out of each cla.s.s; We think him a treasure to study at leisure And a.n.a.lyze under a gla.s.s.'

I seemed to grow cold as I listened To the words that these b.u.t.terflies spoke; With fear overcome, I was speechless and dumb, And then with a start--I awoke!"

ELLA WHEELER WILc.o.x.

Genus ADELPHA, Hubner

(The Sisters)

_b.u.t.terfly._--This genus is very closely allied to the preceding, and is the South American representative of _Basilarchia_. The only difference which is noticeable structurally is in the fact that the eyes are hairy, the palpi not so densely clothed with scales. The prothoracic legs of the males are smaller than in _Basilarchia_. The cell of the primaries is very slightly closed by the lower discocellular vein, which reaches the median a little beyond the origin of the second median nervule. The outer margin of the fore wing is rarely excavated, as in _Basilarchia_, and the lower extremity of the hind wing near the a.n.a.l angle is generally more produced than in the last-mentioned genus.