LEPIDOPTERA 



695 



Fig. 877. — Ceramica picta, larva. 



which is of a light yellov^ color, with three broad, longitudinal black 

 stripes, one on each side and the top o f the back. The stripes on the sides 

 are broken by numerous pure 

 white lines (Fig. 877). When 

 full-grown the larva enters the 

 ground where it makes a slight 

 silken cocoon in which to trans- 

 form. There are two generations 

 a year. The adult (Fig. 878) has 

 dark chestnut -brown fore wings 

 and pale yellowish hind wings. 



Certain members of this sub- 

 family have attracted attention on account of their ravages as cut- 

 worms. Several of these belong to the genus Polia, the Mamestra 

 of some authors, which includes more than 100 North American spe- 

 cies. The majority of our described 

 cutworms pertain to the next sub- 

 family. 



The subfamily Agrotin^.- — This 

 is one of the larger of the subfamilies 

 of noctuids, including more than 550 

 described North American species. 

 Here belong the larger nimiber of those 

 noctuids that are known as cutworms ; 

 but other members of this subfamily 

 exhibit quite different habits. 



The com ear-worm or the cotton boll-worm, Heliothis obsoleta. — 

 This is a widely distributed pest, the larva of which infests many 

 different plants. It is often found feeding on the tips of ears of 

 growing corn, especially of sugar-corn; in fact it is the worst insect 

 pest of sugar-corn. And it is also one of the more important of the 

 pests of cotton, ranking next to the boll-weevil and the cotton-worm; 

 the larva bores into the pods or bolls of the cotton, destroying them. 

 It frequently infests tomatoes, eating both the ripe and the green 

 fruit. Occasionally it is found within the pods of peas and of beans, 

 eating the immature seeds. It also bores into the buds, seed-pods, 

 and flower- stalks of tobacco. The full-grown larva measures from 

 30 to 40 mm. in length. It varies greatly in color and markings. The 

 pupa state is passed in the ground. The nimiber of generations 

 annually varies according to latitude; there is probably only one in 

 Canada, but in the Gulf States there are from four to six. Like the 

 larva, the moth is extremely variable in color and markings. 



The evening primrose moth, Rhodophora florida. — This is a very 

 beautiful moth with most interesting habits. It is quite common, 

 flying at night about evening primroses, both wild and cultivated, 

 and hiding during the day in the partially closed flowers. It expands 

 about 30 mm. The fore wings are bright pink or rosy red from the 

 base to the subterminal line, beyond which they are pale yellow, like 



Fig. 878. — Ceramica picta. 



