LEPIDOPTERA 



687 



ilabaina argilla- 



Fig. 859. — AtitograpJia fal- 

 cifera. 



Canada in the latter part of the summer and in the autimm. But 

 this occurrence in the North is due to migrations from the South, 



as the insect can 



not survive the 



winter north of 



the Gulf States. 



The larva feeds 



on the foliage of 



cotton; and as 



there are five or 



six generations in 



a year, the mul- 

 tiplication of in- 

 dividuals is very rapid, and the injury to the cotton great. 



The best-known way of combating this pest is by the use of Paris 

 green. Dusting machines drawn by horses are in common use. 



The subfamily Plusiin^ includes nearly seventy North American 

 species. In a large number of these the fore wings are marked with 

 metallic-colored scales. The most common form of this marking is a 

 silvery spot, shaped something like a comma, near the center of the 

 wing (Fig. 859). In some 

 of the species the metallic 

 markings cover a large 

 portion of the fore wings, 

 in others they are want- 

 ing. 



'Most larvae have only 

 three pairs of prolegs, the 

 first two pairs being 

 wanting; due to this fact 

 they walk with a looping 

 motion (Fig. 860) resem- 

 bling somewhat that of 

 the geometrids. 



The two following 

 species have attracted at- 

 tention by their injuries 

 to cultivated plants ; the 

 celery looper, Autographa 

 faktfera, and the cabbage 

 looper, Autographa brds- 

 siccz. 



The subfamily Cato- 

 CALiN^. — To this sub- 

 family belong the "under- 

 ■wifigs" and their allies. 

 Here belong nearly two 

 hundred North American species, 

 most likely to attract attention. 



Fig. 86c. — The cabbage-looper, Autographa brassi- 

 cce: a, male moth; b, egg; c, full-grown larva; 

 d, pupa in cocoon. (After Howard and Chitten- 

 den.) 



The following are some of those 



