124 



"Lantana Leaf-Miner." 



{,LithocoUctis sp). 



This caterpillar (Fig. 6, a) when full grown is pale yellowish- 

 white, with a yellow streak through the middle, representing 

 some internal organ, doubtless the silk glands which produce 

 the cocoon ; the entire insect with the exception of the moiith 

 parts and legs, which are brownish, is translucent and tapers, 

 slightly posteriorly; the segments are very distinct; occasion- 

 ally the darker pellets of excreta are seen through the body 

 wall. This caterpillar attains full growth within the mine 

 and there transforms into a pupa (Fig. 6, ?>). The pupa is en- 

 closed within a very pretty, white, longitudinally ribbed sack 

 (Fig. 6, c). It seems that before commencing to build this sack 

 the caterpillar gathers all its frass into a small space and 

 covers it with a net-work of silk, evidently to protect itself 

 from the effects of decay. The sack contains the inactive stage 

 of the insect and is usually found in older, somewhat dried 

 mines and is so conspicuous that it is not overlooked even by 

 the layman. The tiny gilt colored, striped legged moth (Fig. 

 6, (?) is the outcome of this useful miner. One of these mine& 

 (Fig. 6, c) is not sufficient to destroy a leaf, but as they usually 

 occur in large numbers, up to six or more in souie cases, it is in- 

 evitable that the vitality of the leaf should be materially re- 

 duced. 



I "Lantana Leaf Bug" {Teleoncmia suhfasclata, Champ.). 



Another insect that has inflicted terrible injury upon lantana 

 is a small Tingid bug (Fig. 7) which should be popularly known 

 as the "lantana leaf bug." It is a true bug belonging to an 

 order of insects {Hemiptc7-a-Heteroptera) supplied with jointed 

 beaks, capable of taking up liquid food only. Although intro- 

 duced at the same time that the others were, it has not, until 

 the past year I believe, increased to such large numbers as 

 have the others. It may possibly be that the unusual drought 

 of the year has been particularly favorable for this enormous 

 increase. Large numbers of it, particularly the younger 

 stages, occur on the under surface of leaves, and together with 



