294 THE ENTOMOLOGISTS RECORD. 



to have taken it myself this year, but the total failure of sugar has pre- 

 vented me, or at least has made it impossible for me to do so. By the 

 way, I almost forgot to say that the larvae are full-fed by the middle or 

 end of June. — W. Reid, Pitcaple, Aberdeen. 



Habits of Plusia orichalcea. — Captain Robertson's capture of 

 Pliisia orichalcea is interesting, as it adds another locality for this 

 local and beautiful species and he should work for the larvK on Eiipa- 

 toriuin ca>inabitm?)i (hemp agrimony). Some entomologists beat for 

 the young larvae in October, and hybernate them ; I always find this 

 unnecessary as I can find them easily in the spring, and save " loss 

 and trouble " hybernating them. They are a good size and fairly easy 

 to find about the last week in May and first in June. They eat pieces 

 out of the centre of each side of the leaf to the midrib, and the end 

 of the leaf losing its support hangs down and fades, many leaves 

 on a stem served in this way looking very conspicuous. Carefully (as 

 they drop off) bend the stem down, and the larva will probably be 

 found resting on the underside of a leaf, if young, or if full-fed, 

 with its hind-claspers grasping the main stem, and its front legs 

 holding on to the underside of one of the bent leaves. If it is not 

 on the stem first noticed, look on all near, its presence will soon 

 be evident by fresh feeding. — W. Farren, Fern House, Union Road, 

 Cambridge. August 26th, 1891. 



ScoPULA DECREPiTALis AT GLASGOW. — Amongst some insects I had 

 brought me by a young collector to name, I found a Fyrale, which is 

 undoubtedly Scopula decrepitalis. — T. J. Henderson, Glasgow. October 

 10th, 1891. 



Times of Emergence. — I most decidedly agree with Mr. Farren on 

 the "times of emergence" question {ante, p. 139), and I can add one 

 species at any rate to the list which he gives, viz., Notodonia dictcva, 

 which has a most inconvenient habit of emerging between ten and 

 eleven p.m. I have bred it now for several seasons successively, and 

 find this an invariable rule. The males, too, must be killed as soon 

 as possible after the wings are dry, or they will be worthless as 

 specimens in the morning. — Charles F. Thornewill, The Soho, 

 Burton-on-Trent. September 2nd, 1891. 



Mites. — I find the following preparation very useful in getting rid of 

 mites. It consists of equal parts of oil of thyme, oil of aniseed ami 

 spirits of wine. I find this efficacious both for destroying them in 

 imagines and also for prevention. I went through a large collection 

 for a friend of mine three years ago, which was swarming with them, 

 and although not touched since, there is not a mite in one of the 

 40 drawers. The preparation is given in the Insect Hunter's 

 Companion. — T. Baxter, St. Anne's-on-Sea. Oct. ith, 1891. 



TiENiocAMPA OPiMA. — It may be of interest to note that I bred a fine 

 series of T. opima (as far as the pupal state) from ova collected on the 

 Lancashire coast, and believe I did not lose a single larva ; they were fed 

 on sallow, on the air-tight principle and were kept in the shade with 

 just a little sunshine before 7 a.m., none afterwards. They have 

 pupated in loose shallow trays which fit the bottom of my breeding 

 cages, into which the larvae were removed from the bell-glasses, about a 

 fortnight before going down. I have over 150 pupae, and, should they 

 emerge all right next spring, I shall be pleased to give fuller particulars 



