THE INSECTS OF NEW JERSEY. 443 



D. flavicornis Sm. Plainfield V, 19 (Gr) ; Newark in May; Staten Island 

 (Coll) ; taken rarely. 



CHARADRA Wlk. 



C. deridens Gn. Plainfield V, 19 (Gr) ; Newark, V, at light (Wdt), VII, 

 16 (Bz) ; the larva makes a nest on leaves of oak (Dyar) and feeds 

 also on birch and elm. 



RAPHIA Hbn. 

 R. abrupta Grt. Has the same general distribution as "frater" and should 



be found in the State. 

 R. frater Grt. Paterson V, 20 (Gr); Ft. Lee (Bt) ; Jersey City VII, VIII 



(Sb) ; Newark, V, VI (Coll) ; Elizabeth V, VI, VIII (Bz) ; Staten Island 



VI (Ds) ; the curious larva on poplar and willow. 



Family NOCTUID.E. 



These are the "owlet moths," with plump, robust bodies, short, stiff, 

 triangular primaries and broader secondaries. The antennas are usually 

 about half the length of the forewings or a little longer, simple, bristled, 

 or in the males sometimes pectinated. They are rarely seen during the 

 day and derive their common name from their night-flying habits, the eyes 

 in some species glowing with a phosphorescent light. During the day they 

 hide under bark or stones, in crevices of buildings, or wherever else they 

 can find shelter. Some forms rest openly on tree trunks, stones, or lichen- 

 covered logs, their colors and markings blending so perfectly with their 

 surroundings that they are invisible except to the trained eye, but at 

 night they fly readily and many of them are attracted to light. Others 

 have a sweet tooth and frequent flowers, or are attracted to lures spread 

 by the entomologist, such lures consisting of mixtures of molasses, beer 

 and rum or their equivalents. 



The caterpillars vary greatly, many of them being of the type known 

 as "cut-worms" and decidedly injurious. These may be controlled by the 

 bran and arsenic bait which is elsewhere described. The "cut-worms" 

 are fond of bran, eating it in preference to their normal food, and succumb 

 to the arsenic it contains. Its use depends on the nature of the crop to 

 be protected; in corn and potato fields it is usually placed a spoonful to 

 a hill in the late afternoon. 



ACRONYCTA Ochs. 



The moths of this genus are generally known as "Dagger moths" be- 

 cause on most of them there are short dagger-like marks, more like the 

 greek "psi" on the fore wings. The food plants in this genus, when not 

 specially credited, are given on the authority of Dr. H. G. Dyar. 



A. rubricoma Gn. Paterson VI, 16, 26, larva IX, 1 (Gr) ; Newark (Wdt) 

 and probably g. d. Caterpillar feeds on hackberry (Celtis). 



