REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 149 



species that injures hay in England, refers to P. costalis as a moth, "which 

 is sometimes taken here [that is, in England] around stacks," but no 

 mention is made of any injury by our clover-hay worm in that country. 

 Stainton, in his " British Butterflies and Moths," published in 1859, states 

 of it: "Larvae unknown." That its larvae and food-plant continued 

 unknown for many years thereafter, appears from the fact that Kalten- 

 bach, in " Die Pflanzenfeinde aus der Classes der Insecten," published in 

 1872, did not include it in his list of (>(i species of insect known to infest 

 Trifoliiim pratense in Europe. And still more markedly, as indicating 

 that our friends across the ocean do not always keep up as they should 

 with our literature, the species is not recorded in M. Roiiast's " Catalogue 

 des Chenilles Europeennes Connues " of 1883 — a volume in royal octavo 

 of 200 pages. 



It would seem that the insect is both rare and local in Europe, for 

 Mr. G. C. Barrett, a distinguished English lepidopterist, in writing of 

 collections made by him in Camberwell, states : "An old favorite with 

 whom I am well pleased to renew my acquaintance, is that lovely 

 creature, Pyralis costalis " {Joe. cit.). 



Its American History. 



For an account of the operations of the caterpillar in the lower parts 

 of stacks and mows of clover hay, as well as for its earliest description, 

 we are indebted to Mr. B. D. Walsh, the first State Entomologist of 

 Illinois. In the " Practical Entomologist " {loc. cit.), in an article entitled 

 " Clover-Worms," he has quoted from correspondents statements of 

 injuries in the following named localities: in McHenry Co., 111., where 

 the worms occurred in millions in stacks ; in Bucks Co., Ohio, where eight 

 inches of the bottom of a stack had been spoiled by them ; and in 

 Auburn, N. Y., where the lower part of a stack for two feet was filled 

 with the worms. The article states that the same pest also occurs " in 

 New England and Illinois, and probably in most of the Northern States.'' 

 Mr. Walsh describes the caterpillar, but not succeeding in rearing it, he 

 was not able to identify it. 



The following year (1867) Prof. Riley, having bred the moth, identified 

 it as Pyralis olinalis^ and in the Prairie Farmer for April 20, published 

 descriptions and figures of the several stages of the insect, and gave 

 briefly its life- history. In 1868 he referred it to Asopia costalis, in correc- 

 tion of his former identification — the two species being much alike, and 

 liable to be confused. Those who have access to the volumes of the 

 Missouri Reports, may find in the Sixth Report a six-page notice of the 



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