CACTUS-FEEDING INSECTS AND MITES 65 



solitary habit, and their presence on the prickly pear was indicated 

 by large swellings in the segments similar to those produced by larvae 

 of Olycella junctolineela. Pupation took place in the named months, 

 and adults emerged in January after a pupal period of about 14 days. 

 The pupation habit is interesting, and, as far as is known, is unique 

 among the cactus phycitids. The larva cuts through the cuticle of 

 the plant to form a trapdoor about one-quarter inch in diameter, the 

 free edges of which are cemented to the surface. The cocoon, which is 

 spun within the lai'val cavity, possesses a long neck extending to the 

 trapdoor, which is pushed open by the emerging moth. 



The adult has a wing expanse of 30 to 33 mm.; the forewings are 

 greyish brown with darker markings; the hindwings are almost wholly 

 white in the male and are mainly fuscous in the female. 

 Parasites. — A tachinid was reared from cocoons from Barquisimeto, 

 Guragao, and Puerto Colombia. 



OZAMIA Ragonot 



In this genus are included eight forms distributed from the United 

 States to Argentina. Most of the species attacked the fruit of prickly 

 pears and other cacti, but two Argentine specimens are stem borers 

 in Cereus. Very possibly undetermined larvae feeding in cactus fruit 

 in other sections of South America would belong here; notes on these 

 insects are given under the miscellaneous Phycitidae (p. 72). 



Ozamia lucidalis (Walker) 



The type species is known from the West Indian islands of Hispaniola, 

 and Jamaica. It was located in Haiti and Jamaica in January 1927. 

 Near Kingston, Jamaica, the larvae attacked and destroyed 90 percent 

 of the fruit of the Platyopuntia Opuntia spinosissima; the dark grey larvae 

 were full grown in January; they pupated and produced moths after 

 a pupal period of 1 7 days during the same month. A few larvae were 

 collected in the fruit of 0. dillenii at Port-au-Prince, Haiti; these, too, 

 were full-giown and pupated immediately; moths were reared after a 

 pupal period of 10 days. The adult, which has a wing expanse of 26 

 to 30 mm., is very similar to Ozamia fuscomaculella clarefacta Dyar; 

 the forewings are brown-grey with darker markings, and the hindwings 

 are white. 



Ozamia fuscomaculella (Wright) 



This variety differs from Ozamia f. clarefacta Dyar in the lighter grey 

 color of the forewings and the absence of the green tint on the thorax 



263-117—68 6 



