ON CERTAIN GRASS-EATING INSECTS. 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES OF CRAMBUS OF THE 



ITHACA FAUNA. 



A Thesis in Entomology. 



BY EPHRAIM PORTER FELT, B. S., FELLOW IN ENTOMOLOGY IN CORNELL 



UNIVERSITY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



There abound in every pasture and meadow certain small moths 

 that may be easily recognized by a peculiar habit of closely fold- 

 ing their wings about the body when at rest. (Fig. 

 I.) On account of this habit, these moths have 

 received the popular name of Close- wings ; the tech- 

 nical name of the genus is Crambus. 



It is only necessary to walk through the grass in 

 the afternoon or early evening to observe these 

 moths in their native haunts ; they start up on 

 every side, fly a short way and alight. At times 

 the grass seems to be alive with them. 



Eike some other common insects, these moths 

 have received little attention from agriculturists, 

 although they are really of considerable economic 

 importance. In the larval state they are grass- 

 eating caterpillars ; and as they are very abundant 

 they can hardly fail to materially lessen the crop of 

 hay or the amount of available food in a pasture. 

 Under ordinary circumstances the injury caused by these in- 

 sects attracts but little attention. But these innocent appearing 

 moths have been known to cause the complete devastation of 

 large areas, whole townships being affected. Each year adds to 

 the recorded instances where they have seriously injured culti- 



FiG. \. --Crambus 

 alboclavellus. 



