On Certain Grass-Eating Insects.. 63 



Trap L,antern Record. C. interminellus, 1889. 



The period of flight extends through June and July ; individu- 

 als have been taken as late as September 30. This long period 

 of flight indicates great irregularity in time of breeding, but this 

 does not necessarily imply more than one generation a year. 



This species is quite prolific ; one female laid one hundred and 

 fifty eggs after capture and confinement in a vial. From obser- 

 vation of other species the average is probably between three and 

 four hundred and one might expect to find individuals laying over 

 five hundred eggs. When first laid the eggs are of a pale yellow- 

 ish color ; they gradually turn to an orange buff" color and hatch 

 in about eight days. The larvae begin to feed soon after hatching. 

 Their favorite position is in the axil of a leaf, where they eat the 

 soft parenchyma. Even when but a few daj^s old the larvae eat 

 most voraciously. When the larvae are about a week old they 

 begin to spin webs in the axils of the leaves ; frequently several 

 leaves are fastened together, in the midst of which the larvae feed. 

 When grass is not to be had the larvae will feed upon sheep sor- 

 rel {Rumex acetoselld). About a month after hatch- 

 ing, the last of September, the larvae begin to con- 

 struct cylindrical perpendicular nests near the sur- 

 face of the soil (Fig. 5). These nests are usually 

 attached to one or more stalks of grass. The out- 

 side of the nest is covered with finely chewed bits 

 of grass, while the inside is smoothly lined with 

 silk. The nests are about a quarter of an inch long 

 and about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. 

 A little later the nests are strengthened by the 

 addition of more grass to the outside. Occasionally 

 a large piece of grass is woven into the side of the 

 nest, but usually the pieces are small and of nearly equal size. 

 As cold weather approaches, about November ist, the larvae 



Fig. ^.—Nest of 

 larva. C. inter- 

 minellus^ en- 

 larged. 



