536 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Sub-family ANERASTIN^. 



P. approximella Wlk. 

 d. (Kf). 



PEORIA Rag. 

 (hsematica Zell.) Newark IV and VI (Wdt) ; g. 



Family PTEROPHORID^E. 



This family contains the species commonly known as "plume moths," 

 because the wings are split up into from two to five plumes or feathers, 

 which make the species recognizable at a glance. The moths are all small 

 in size, usually with disproportionately long legs and altogether frail in 

 structure. The caterpillars are hairy and at first sight some of them 

 resemble miniature Arctiids, but they spin up leaves or make tubes and 

 differ in other essential characters of structure. 



The species are not usually common and are best or only obtainable by 

 breeding. They are therefore not well represented in collections as a rule. 



TRICHOPTILUS Wlsm. 



T. lobidactylus Fitch. Essex Co. VII, in fields, not rare (Kf ) ; larva on 



golden rod, "Solidago canadensis." 

 T. ochrodactylus Fish. Wenonah V, 30 (Dke) ; 5-mile beach VII, 4 



(Haim). 



OXYPTILUS Zell. 



O. periscelidactylus Fitch. The "Grape 

 Plume" moth; common throughout 

 the State, the larva webbing up the 

 tips of the vines in early spring. 

 They do no real injury in most cases 

 because as a rule they spin up the 

 tip beyond the blossom cluster. 



O. delawaricus Zell. Mass, to California, 

 and sure to occur in New Jersey. 



O. tenuidactylus Fitch. Ft. Lee VII, 4 

 (Dke) ; Essex Co. VI, 20-VII, 7, not 

 rare in open woods and at light 

 (Kf); 5-mile beach VII, 4 (Haim). 



PLATYPTILIA Hbn. 



P. acanthodactyla Hbn. Essex 

 VII and IX, common (Kf). 



Co. V- 



P. marginidactyla Fitch. Essex Co., VI, 

 VII, abundant (Kf); food plant yar- 

 row, "Achillea millefolium" (Bt). 



Fig. 228. The grape plume, Oxy- 

 ptilus fcriscclidactylus : a. larva 

 in web; b, pupa; c, its "breast- 

 bone," enlarged; d, moth; e, 

 segment of larva, enlarged. 



