2i2 THE STUDY OF INSECTS 



and lines the cavity thus enclosed with silk; here it transforms to a 

 pupa. The moths of the second and later generations lay their eggs on 

 the berries, and the larvae bore into them and feed upon the pulp and 

 seeds. 



The oriental fruit-moth, Laspeyresia molesta. — This insect was dis- 

 covered here in 1916. It has now spread over most of the eastern half 

 of the United Stales. It attacks plum, cherry, peach, quince and apple. 

 The pinkish-white larva? which are slightly over one-half inch in length, 

 bore into the tender shoots in spring and kill them. Later, they burrow 

 into the fruits causing the latter to decay. 



The moth is dark grayish-brown with a wing-expanse of about one- 

 half an inch. The winter is passed as a full-grown larva and as a pupa 

 beneath flakes of bark on the tree and under objects on the ground. There 

 are several generations during a season. 



The European pine-shoot moth, Evetria buoliana. — It was discovered 

 here in 191 4. The dark brown larva, about f of an inch long, eats into 

 the terminal buds and burrows in the new shoots of pines. The moth is 

 brightly colored with reddish-orange front wings suffused with dark red 

 and crossed by several irregular silvery lines. It expands about f of an 

 inch. 



Family Pyralidiele 



The Pyralids 



The members of this family found in our fauna are mostly small 

 moths, but a few are of moderate size. So large a portion of the species 

 are small that the family has been commonly classed with the preceding 

 families as Microlepidoptera. The members of this family differ so greatly 

 in appearance that it is not possible to give a general description that will 

 serve to distinguish it; a very large portion of the species have a special 

 look, due to their thin and ample hind wings with large anal areas (Fig. 



365). 



The body is slender; the head is 

 prominent; the ocelli are usually 

 present; the antenna? are almost 

 always simple; and the palpi are 

 usually moderate in size or long; but 

 very often they project beak-like; 

 for this reason the name snout-moths 

 is often applied to this family. 



This is one of the larger families 

 of the Lepidoptera ; nearly one thou- 

 sand species have been described 

 from America north of Mexico alone. 

 The family is divided into many sub- 

 families, representatives of fifteen of 

 which are found in our fauna. The 



Fio. 365. -Wings of NomophilancctueUa. ^ j^^ spedeS| those that have 



attracted attention on account of their economic importance because 

 they attack fruits, vegetables, cereals, stored foods, certain forest-trees 

 and even other insects, are the following: 



