88  THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTE ON SIMAETHIS FABRICIANA, L. 



BY ARTHUR GIBSON, CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA. 



For over three years we have had in the collection at Ottawa speci- 

 mens of a pretty little Yponomeutid moth, which we have been unable to 

 get identified. 



Larvae were first observed by the writer at Aylmer, Que., on May 



24th, 1901. They were found feeding on stinging nettle ( Urtica gracilis. 



Ait.), and appeared to be fairly abundant in one locality. Specimens 



collected on this date spun up within two or three days, and the moths 



emerged on June 7. These larvae were noticed to have drawn the leaves 



together at the tips of the plants, and were living within the tents thus 

 made. The cocoon is white and rather thickly woven. The pupa is 

 slender and of a pale brown colour. After the moth has emerged, the 

 empty pupa-case remains protruding conspicuously from the cocoon. 



The following is a description of the larva : Length full-grown. 



9 mm.; width at widest part, 1.5 mm. Head erect, bilobed, shiny, black, 

 pale brownish towards clypeus, which is mostly pale and reaches almost 



10 vertex ; two or three pale spots are also present on each cheek. Body 

 slender, dull yellowish, no markings on the skin. Thoracic shield black, 

 divided in centre of dorsum. Tubercles black, shiny, large ; lower lateral 

 and ventral series smaller than i., ii., iii. and iv. Anal plate dark, mottled 

 with black. Thoracic feet black ; prolegs concolorous with venter. 



During the past year Mr. C. H. Young also reared the species from 

 larvae found on the same food-plant, the moths emerging on the 4th, 8th 

 and loth June. Two of these bred specimens were sent to Mr. W. D. 

 Kearfott, who identified them as Simaethis Fabriciaiia, L. Writing under 

 date of Oct. 26, Mr. Kearfott says: "This is a European species, 

 never before recorded from this side of the water. The Ottawa specimens 

 are 2 or 3 mm. larger than any of the European examples in my collec- 

 tion, but the fasciation and maculation seem to agree perfectly." 



In a further letter, dated Nov. 28, Mr. Kearfott says with ^regard to 

 this species : 



" I see nothing else than to add this name to our lists. Dr. Dyar 

 spent a night with me a couple of weeks ago. I showed him the two 

 specimens and my European series, and he entirely agreed with my 

 conclusions. The only difference is a slight increase in size," 



^arch, 1905. 



