118 THE' REPORT OF THE No. 19 



grown in some of the beds on the Central Experimental Farm, but every 

 year the plants are attacked by this insect. Some seasons the species is very 

 abundant and does a lot of injury. It is most prevalent during the month 

 of August, and the injury is mostly done by the mature beetles. The insect 

 although it is so abundant at Ottawa is, I believe, uncommon in western 

 Ontario. 



HoTnoliadena hadistriga, Grt. For some years the larvae of this noctuid 

 moth have been present, in more or less numbers, on several kinds of climb- 

 ing honeysuckles, (Lonicera species) on the Central Experimental Farm. 

 During certain seasons their injuries have been quite apparent. In May, 

 1901, the larvae were abundant on many of the yellow-flowered varieties, 

 which they seem to prefer. At this time caterpillars in all stages were 

 found. Very young larvae, about a quarter of an inch long, were collected, 

 but no trace of eggs or empty shells could be seen. Every year since 1901 

 we have looked in vain for eggs, although we have found young larvae which 

 could not have been out of the eg^ more than a day or two. The young 

 larvae feed on the buds and foliage of the new shoots of the plant, hiding 

 in the day time inside the two clasping leaves, which surround the cluster 

 of flower buds at the tip. As they mature they crawl down to the shady 

 side of the old wood of the plant upon which they rest when not feeding. 

 When in the last stage the ground colour of the caterpillar is remarkably 

 like that of the stem, or twig, upon which it rests. 



The Iris Borer, Macronoctua onusta, Grt. In the 1903 report of this 

 Society, the writer reported the occurrence, in destructive numbers, of the 

 larvae of this noctuid moth, which is rare in collections, and gave notes on 

 them and on the pupae. During the past season the species was again observed 

 in some of the Iris beds on the Central Experimental Farm, but not in de- 

 structive numbers. Full grown larvae were found on July 21. Nothing new 

 was noted with regard to their habits. 



The Columbine Borer, Pa'paipema purpurifascia, G. & H. Mention 

 of an infestation by this insect at Ottawa in 1904, was made by the writer 

 in our last annual report. During the past season this borer was again 

 very destructive at Ottawa to cultivated Aquilegias. On June 29 they were 

 very abundant, boring into the stems. At that date they were 7-8 of an inch 

 in length and only a few had entered the roots. On July 13 as many as 13 

 larvae were found in one columbine plant, and every plant in a large bed 

 seemed to be seriously infested. It was interesting to note this year, how- 

 ever, that many of the larvae were parasitized by a Tachina, possibly one- 

 third of the larvae collected. 



The Burdock Borer, Papaipema cataphracta, Grt. This is another 

 noctuid borer, but one which, while abundant almost every season at Ottawa, 

 seems to be of rather uncommon occurrence in other parts of Ontario. Un- 

 like the two mentioned above, this larva seems not to mind adapting itself 

 to any plant with a succulent stem, and so has been found infesting a variety 

 of different plants. At Ottawa, the favourite food plant is burdock, and 

 two or three larvae are often found in the same plant. During the past 

 season the caterpillars were quite abundant at Ottawa, and in about an 

 hour's time, on July 27, Dr. Fletcher and I collected nearly fifty specimens. 

 These with the exception of two were all found in burdock. Other plants 

 in which we have found this borer are Canada Thistle, dahlias, lilies, sun- 

 flowers, tomatoes, potatoes and rhubarb. 



Unfortunately, owing to the boring habits of these larvae, there is no 

 remedy for them other than cutting off the portion of the plant containing 

 the caterpillar and destroying the latter. It is seldom, however, that these 



