72 Habits of the Tomato Moth 



and lie in a bright yellow line which runs the whole length of the body. 

 A line above this, and one along the centre of the back, vary in colour 

 according to the food, as they are merely transparent patches of the 

 skin through which the gut shows: they are usually dark grey. The 

 green and brown forms of the larvae are figured by Buckler, Noctuae, 

 Vol. in, PI. XCIV. 



The larvae proved difficult to rear on a diet of tomato foliage alone 

 (Comet variety), though little difficulty was experienced when they were 

 fed on certain other foods. When they hatched on growing tomato 

 plants in large airy cages they scattered from their food in a few days 

 and were unable to find it again. It was necessary to keep them in close 

 contact with the foliage. The most satisfactory method was to place 

 not more than three together on the food plant between plugs of cotton 

 wool in narrow test tubes, and to transfer them to larger tubes as they 

 got older, replacing one of the plugs by a muslin cover. In their last 

 stage they were generally transferred to small plant pots containing 

 earth, and closed by muslin covers. The food was renewed every day 

 or two. In other cases they were sleeved on the growing plant. 



Even when these precautions were taken only very small percentages, 

 at most attempts, reached maturity, and in several instances every 

 individual of a batch died. Only once was a large proportion of a batch 

 successfully reared on tomato foliage. Those which succumbed simply 

 ceased to feed and died, unless a change of food was supplied to them. 

 In most cases no. recognised disease appeared among them, though the 

 common "flacherie" disease occurred in some. A larva which dies of 

 flacherie has a very characteristic appearance. It becomes an unhealthy 

 white colour, and is soft and readily ruptured if touched. It ceases to 

 feed and remains clinging to the plant by its prolegs. The following 

 day it turns black and falls away in greyish fluid drops. The disease is 

 tolerably common in the houses. 



Three of the experiments in rearing will be given in detail. 



(a) A batch of 135 eggs, laid by a moth reared from a larva collected 

 in a greenhouse, was placed on tomato foliage on beaten earth in a 

 small glass jar covered with muslin. On the fourth day after hatching 

 six of the larvae were isolated in test tubes, and of these, one escaped, 

 three died, and two reached maturity and commenced to spin up on 

 the 35th and 38th days of active life respectively. The pupae were 

 small but healthy, and produced perfect moths. (Of 21 larvae reared 

 on knotgrass under precisely similar conditions, 20 became mature 

 between the 29th and 33rd days of life, and only one died.) The re- 



