PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



issued Imt^IVvA. sIJMs ^y 'A* 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Vol. 86 Washington : 1939 No^ 3953 



THE CACTUS-FEEDING PHYCITINAE: A CONTRIBUTION 

 TOWARD A REVISION OF THE AMERICAN PYRALI- 

 DOID MOTHS OF THE FAMILY PHYCITIDAE 



By Carl Heinrich 



INTRODUCTION 



This paper is the first of a proposed series dealing with the Amer- 

 ican moths of the family Phycitidae. It is my intention to publish 

 from time to time revisions of those groups that, in other orders, are 

 usually designated as tribes, and to conclude with a general discus- 

 sion of the family, synoptic keys to these groups and their genera, 

 and, if circumstances permit, an illustrated catalog of the American 

 species. 



The cactus-feeding group is treated first because names are desired 

 for certain undescribed species reared in connection with the investi- 

 gations of the Commonwealth Prickly-Pear Board of Queensland. 

 For several years A. P. Dodd and his associates on the board have 

 been experimenting with cactus insects in an effort to eradicate or 

 control the prickly pear in Australia. Apparently they have been 

 successful. One phycitid species, Cactohlastis cactorum (Berg), has 

 been liberated in Queensland and New South Wales and seems to 

 have established itself and attacked the "pear" with phenomenal suc- 

 cess. Mr. Dodd has in preparation a book dealing with the experi- 

 ments of the board and the life histories of the insects they have 

 studied. It is largely in anticipation of that book that the present 

 taxonomic paper is offered. 



109335—39 1 331 



