'662 C. B. HABDENBERG. 



Female bags: Average length 53*59 mm., width 18'25 ram. 

 Maximum length 63 mm., width 22 mm. 

 Minimum length 46 mm., width 15 mm. 

 the differences in length being thus more pronounced than 

 those in the width of the bag. 



D. Feeding habits. — While feeding may take place at 

 any time during the day, it is mostly done during the early 

 part of the morning, as soon as the dew has evaporated off the 

 leaves. Usually no feeding takes place during the hottest 

 part of the day, nor during a rain or mist, when the foliage is 

 wet. No feeding has been observed during the night, but it 

 is possible that the larva shows some activity during that 

 period in making enlargements to its bag. 



The inside of the bag is scrupulously clean, ejecta and cast 

 skins being carefully removed, as the presence of these might 

 influence the health of the caterpillar. 



Food-plants. — The original food of Acanthopsyche 

 junodi was doubtless furnished by the leaves of Acacia 

 horrida, A. caffra, and other species of Acacia which form 

 a great part of the native thorn bush flora. Alice Pegler, 

 in an article in ' (Irocott's Penny Mail,' Grahamstown, 

 December 1st, 1909 (reprinted in 'Agricultural Journal of the 

 Union of South Africa,' vol. vi, p. 215, 1909), writes that A. 

 melanoxylon is occasionally attacked, and mentions as 

 another native food-plant Loranthus dregei. We have 

 found it also on Combretum glomerulif lorum, and 

 undoubtedly continued observations will reveal a great 

 many more native plants which will furnish a means of sub- 

 sistence for the larva of this species. 



With the clearing of the thorn bush and the planting of the 

 congeneric A. moUissima the bag worm has adapted itself 

 very readily to this tree, and, the food-supply being now prac- 

 tically unlimited, has thrived exceedingly. 



Besides these, the bagworm has lately become troublesome 

 as a pest to various ornamental trees and fruit trees. Amongst 

 the former we have found it on oak, roses, poplar, Pride of 

 India, Pin us insignis and some of the less oleaceous 



