42 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 256 



Olyca phryganoides Walker 



The distribution appears to be restricted to tlie island of Hispaniola. 

 The insect was found prevalent in prickly pear areas in the Republics 

 of Haiti and Santo Domingo by one of the Board's officers from Decem- 

 ber 1926 to February 1927. A few subsequent observations were made 

 by G. N. Wolcott and A. Audant in 1927-28. 



The moths are usually larger than those of Olycella junctolineella; the 

 forewings are heavily suffused with black-grey marks and patches; 

 the hindwings are light grey in the female, almost completely white in 

 tlie male. The larvae are creamy white or light buff, with jet black 

 spiracular markings. 



The food plants include three distinct types of Opuntia: the shrub 

 pear 0. dillenii, the britde-jointed 0. antillana^ and the peculiar tree 

 pear 0. spinosissima. Nothing is known of the egg stage or the mode of 

 oviposition. The larvae are solitary, and their work is very similar to 

 that of Olycella junctolineella, with characteristic swellings in the 

 segments of Opuntia dillenii. In 0. spinosissima the larvae tunnel for a 

 distance of 2 feet or more in the erect main stem. They cause litde 

 damage unless many larvae infest one plant, or anthracnose fungi are 

 associated with the attack. 



The cocoons, which are large and light brown, consist of a bulky, 

 rather flimsy outer covering and a closely woven inner cocoon. They 

 occur singly or in masses between or under the pear segments, or among 

 the long spines on the trunk of 0. spinosissima. The pupal stage in August 

 and early September has been determined at 23 days. There are at 

 least two generations annually. Modis have been reared in January 

 and February and in August through to early September. Since large 

 larvae have been observed in March, possibly a third generation would 

 produce adults between April and June. 



ALBERADA Heinrich 



This genus was erected by Heinrich for the reception of three species 

 from the United States and Mexico: A. parabates (Dyar), A. bidentella 

 (Dyar), and A. holochlora (Dyar). 



A. bidentella was not recognized during the Board's investigations 

 and apparently has never been reared; Heinrich records specimens 

 from three localities in southwestern Texas and from Phoenix, Arizona. 

 He suggests that A. holochlora, known only from the type specimens, 

 is a synonym of bidentella. 



Alberada parabates (Dyar) 



This insect has a very extensive distribution. In Mexico it has been 



