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ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Dec., 'lO 



It is likely that the larvae of innubens like those of piatrix de- 

 velop irregularly during much of the summer and new moths 

 are constantly appearing. 



Of the Catocala larvae of the common species, that of 

 neogama is perhaps the largest, measuring over three and a 

 half inches and stocky in proportion. The larva of amatrix 

 often reaches three and three fourths inches but is rather 

 slender. Cara three to three and a half. Concwnbens two and 

 three fourths to three inches. Unijuga, three to three and a half 

 inches. Ilia about three inches but stout. The pupal period 

 of amatrix is from twenty three to twenty eight days; of 

 piatrix, from twenty two to twenty five days; of neogama 

 about twenty-four days. 



The last Catocala imago from a bred pupa was a piatrix that 

 emerged September Qth, but moths of this species were seen 

 at Louisiana as late as September 22d. A female C. robinsoni 

 was taken Oct. ist and lived in captivity till the I5th. It seems 

 more than likely that the food of most Catocala moths is the 

 juices of fruits. One of the authors has seen evening after 

 evening, Piatrices feeding at grapes. Wherever there was a 

 bruised berry or wormy fruit, the moth settled down for a 

 repast. He even recognized the same individual moth for 

 much of two weeks at a repast of grape juice. Homoptera 

 came to the same food. The scarcity of fruit this year may 

 have rendered the moth bolder than usual for the author could 

 have taken several of them in his fingers. The moth lights on 

 the leaves or bunches of grapes with its wings half spread and 

 thrusts its proboscis into the bruised place on the fruit. 



Quite as interesting as capturing the moths is the search 

 for larvae. It is little trouble to collect larvae of illecta and 

 innubens since they are so plentiful and the former makes little 

 effort to hide itself at any time, lying out boldly on the twigs. 

 Where shag-bark hickory is plentiful larvae of residua, angusi, 

 habilis and palaeogartta may be secured in numbers beneath 

 the bark, more rarely Judith, lidua and epione. Piatrix, ultro- 

 nia and grynea may be taken between shingles, leaned in pairs 



