72 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 256 



Cactobrosis strigalis (Barnes and McDunnough) 



The larvae of this insect feed in various Echinocereus. Heinrich lists its 

 occurrence at several localities in Utah, southern California, southern 

 Arizona, and western Texas, and gives a record of one specimen 

 reared from E. pectinatus at Mexico City; moths have been captured 

 or reared in April through September. 



In the course of the Board's work C. strigalis was found attacking 

 the beautiful rainbow cactus E. rigidissimus in the foothills of the Santa 

 Rita and Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. It was recorded also in 

 E. dasyacanthus in the Davis Mountain sector of western Texas and in 

 an undetermined Echinocereus at San Gorgonia Pass, California. 



The deep-blue larvae appeared to be gregarious; in most cases 

 several inhabited each plant, which was often hollowed out and de- 

 troyed. Half to full-grown larvae were secured in June and July and 

 pupated in July and August, spinning loose cocoons beneath the 

 plant. From these pupae, Arizona moths emerged in July and Cali- 

 fornian adults in early September. On another occasion, one-third 

 grown larvae found in Arizona in February produced adults in May. 

 These records would suggest that there may be more than one genera- 

 tion annually. This hypothesis is strengthened by the fact that Hein- 

 rich lists adults from western Texas in April, July, and August. 



The moth has a wing expanse of 30 to 44 mm.; the forewings are 

 grey, with blackish lines outlining some of the veins; the hindwings 

 are white, but with some fuscous shading in the female. There is a 

 strong resemblance to adults of Eremberga leuconips. 



MISCELLANEOUS PHYCITIDAE 



In May 1925 larvae collected in Opiintia flowers at Uvalde and at 

 Devil's River, Texas, produced small greyish moths which were identi- 

 fied by H. G. Dyar as Eurythmia hospitella Zeller and E. anthophila 

 Dyar.These are the only records, and it is not known if the species 

 are true cactus insects. Heinrich (1956) assigns the former to Erelevia 

 quantullela (Hulst) and the latter to Sosipatra anthophila (Dyar). 



In addition to the many phycitid cactus insects already listed, 

 larvae of other members of this group have been discovered, mainly 

 in South America. Since adults were not reared, the identity of these 

 insects, discussed below, remains unknown. 



Brazil. In December 1928 the buds and young fruit of Opuntia 

 brasiliensis and 0. monacantha at Macahe and Cabo Frio, State of Rio de 

 Janeiro, were attacked by larvae which in general appearance and 

 feeding habits appeared to be typical of the genus Ozamia. 



