THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 



LIFE-HISTORY OF SABULODES ARCASARIA, WLK. 



(Sabulodes arcasaria, Wlk., ^. Sabiilodes sulphurata, Pack., 5.) 



BY OTTO SEIFERT, NEW YORK. 



On April 24th two 9 9 of t'lis moth were found resting on the 

 ground within a cluster of Sumach-brush, at Woodside, Long Island, N. 

 Y. Their bright yellow colour had faded to pale ochre. 



Eggs were deposited from April 24th to 28th, only daring the night. 

 According to circumstances they are secreted within the fissures of the 

 leaf-buds and narrow crevices of bark, or into the folds of decaying leaves 

 of the food-plant. In the first case the nearly elliptical eggs are fastened 

 erect, close together, in a single row ; when attached to a broader surface 

 they are arranged in small regular patches or rows, but deposited lengthwise, 

 the next one always overlapping the preceding one with its blunt, micro- 

 pylar end. 



At first the eggs are pale grass-green, rather bright, turning soon to 

 brown and bright purplish-brown; towards maturity they contract, forming 

 a shallow cavity on the surface, and revealing the dark-coloured embryo 

 within the colourless membrane. 



All the larvae left their egg-shells by May gth, collecting gregariously 

 during the daytime on the under side of the leaves, hanging down perpen- 

 dicularly. The slender, smooth larvae are purplish-violet to purplish- 

 brown above and below, stigmatal region, white. In general they retain 

 this colour to maturity, changing not more than to adapt themselves to the 

 brighter or duller appearance of the maturing or decaying leaflet stems. 



The larvae grow rapidly, moulting during the night ; they eat their 

 thrownoff skin, only leaving the covering of anal legs and adjoining parts. 

 Full-grown, they reach a length of 3.5 to 5.0 centim., and attain, by the 

 gradually more pronounced whitish irregular lines and dots upon the dark 

 ground-colour, the appearance of a withered branchlet. 



At maturity the larva draws one or more leaves together with the help 

 of a few white silky spinnings, and contracting itself considerably, changes 

 within a few hours to a slender, light brownish-yellow or deep tan-coloured, 

 finely-speckled pupa, transforming into imago within two or three weeks. 



Eggs deposited April 24th to 28th hatched May 7th to 9th ; larvae 

 pupated from June 2nd to 7th, imagoes appeared from June 17th to 30th. 

 A $ and $ of this brood were paired ; the $ deposited eggs to fune 



