102 Tin-: CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



PIERIS RAP.*: AND AGRAULIS VANILL.-^:. 



BY W. G. WRIGHT, SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA. 



P. Rapas, the introduced " European cabbage butterfly,'' on its 

 westward march across this Continent, was first taken in Nebraska on 

 August 3, 1881. (See Can. Ent., 1882, 39.) In May, 1883, I took one 

 male in Southern California. At that time I did not know its name, but 

 I spread it and placed it in my cabinet as unknown. In a few years an 

 Eastern Entomologist called on me, and at once identified it as P. Rapae. 

 It was yet other years before I saw another specimen in flight, though 

 collecting diligently every season. About 1890 or '91 other specimens 

 were observed, and thereafter every year brought them in rapidly increas- 

 ing numbers, till now they are extremely abundant, flying early and late 

 in the day, and early and late in the spring and fall, and at times, as in 

 cold or cloudy weather, when only a very few of the native species can 

 fly, indicating that it is more hardy than the native species, and that it 

 will eventually dominate. As might be expected, the larvge feed in good 

 part on cabbage plants, but yet they are not at all dainty or particular as 

 to food, and many other plants are used. Last year I raised some fine 

 specimens from eggs laid on leaves of common nasturtiums, in the garden, 

 and wholly fed upon those leaves. 



The native Pierids, P. Protodice, P. Beckeri, and P. Sisymbri, do 

 not oviposit on any cultivated plant so far as I know, preferring wild 

 plants, while Rapte apparently prefers cultivated ones. Evidently Rapre 

 will in a few years become a great pest. Already they fly in numbers 

 everywhere, but especially about the Chinese vegetable gardens, and the 

 flower gardens and dooryards of the towns. 



Another introduced butterfly is that beauty from the Southern States, 

 Agraulis Vanillie. This species came into California over the Southern 

 Pacific Railroad soon after trains ran through from Louisiana, or say in 

 1885. I well remember the first ones I ever saw. There were two of 

 them in a front dooryard feeding on the flowers, and I was in a buggy 

 driving along the street ; but my net was handy, and I instantly went in 

 pursuit of the red beauties, capturing them both as a first move, and 

 explaining to the surprised people of the house afterward. Now VanilUe 

 is everywhere in evidence, and its larvag are so abundant that large old 

 passion vines are sometimes wholly denuded of leaves by them. Vanillae 

 is also extremely hardy and vigorous, flying, like Rapse, at unfavourable 

 times and seasons, as if bent on conquest. Still, it has not increased so 

 rapidly during the last few years as has Rapje. 



These two species are the only ones as yet brought into the State 

 from the East. 



