THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 6 ( J 



NEW SPECIES AND HISTORIES IN PAPAIPEMA SM. 



(LEPID.) 



BY HENRY BIRD, RYE, N.Y. 



(Continued from Vol. XLV, p. 126.) 

 More than ten years ago the writer encountered a Papaipcma 

 larva at Rye boring Loosestrife, Lysimachia quadrifolia, and in 

 the interim a wide occurrence of its work has been noted. At that 

 time the imago was successfully reared, and there was surprise 

 that it appeared to be but a small form of the well-known P. 

 purpurifascia G&R, which was known to have an indigenous food- 

 plant in Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis. In 1902 (Can. Ent., 

 vol. XXXIV, p. 118) attention was called to a difference between 

 these larvae, but the moths seemed so nearly identical except in 

 size, it was believed the small diameter of the Loosestrife stems 

 might account for the reduced size of the resultant moth. 



As the years go by and more extended observations on the 

 habits of the genus accrue, it is noticed how the Columbine feeders 

 begin to emerge weeks in advance of the other, being one of the 

 earliest of the local species in that respect. True, it continues 

 to emerge for over a month and overlaps the Loosestrife feeder 

 but there seems always two weeks difference with the earliest ones 

 of the respective forms. The Papaipemce, as with most mid- 

 season moths, are quite prompt on the dates of their first appear- 

 ance, and as these two larvae often flourish within a few teet oi 

 each other, such discrepancy was a point to be considered. It is 

 found the latter is much the commoner and more generally diffused, 

 due doubtless to a more widespread foodplant. Finally, a famili- 

 arity with a large series of moths, resultant of personal field work 

 from southern Canada to Delaware, makes clear the points of 

 difference that are constant with the imago, and careful compari- 

 sons of the larvae through their various stages, establishes the fact 

 that we have clearlv to do with two well-defined species. Of 

 some weight in a general summing up, the Loosestrife feeder is 

 found to be kept down by a parasite all its own, while purpurifascia 

 falls to the general ones, mainly the Hemiteles and a Ceromasia fly, 

 that are common checks throughout the genus. 



Before considering more specifically this smaller, narrower 

 winged species, which is clearly the more primitive of the two, it 



February, 1914 



