NOTE ON THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER (PYRAUSTA 

 NUBILALIS HUBNER) AND ITS NEAREST AMERICAN 

 ALLIES, WITH DESCRIPTION OF LARV^, PUP^, AND 

 ONE NEW SPECIES 



By Carl Heinrich^ 



Specialist on Forest Lepidoptera, Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of 



Agriculture 



The introduction of the European corn borer (Pyrausia mihilalis 

 Hiibner) into certain sections of Massachusetts and New York and the 

 possibility of its wider distribution has necessitated a careful study of 

 the larva of this dangerous pest, particularly as the larva of a native 

 Pyrausta also attacks com, has much the same habits as that of P. 

 nubilalis, and so closely resembles it that the two are easily confused. 

 The adult females of the two species are also very similar, and to any 

 but a specialist familiar with the group they are certain to cause diffi- 

 culty. For this reason it is desirable to have full descriptions of adults, 

 pupae, and larvae which will enable positive identification and will 

 separate P. nubilalis from its nearest American allies. The present 

 paper is presented with this object.^ 



PYRAUSTA 



GENERAL CHARACTERS 

 ADULT (PL. 7, A, B, E, F; 8, B, C) 



Ocelli present. Proboscis developed. Labial palpi developed; porrect; triangu- 

 larly scaled; third joint hidden by hair. Maxillary palpi present; slightly dilated 

 at apex. Frons rounded. Antennae three-fourths; finely ciliated. Tibiae smooth- 

 scaled; outer spurs short; outer medial spur not more than two-thirds tlie length 

 of the inner. Forewing with 12 veins; ic absent; la separate from ib; ib simple; 

 2 from before angle of cell; 3, 4. 5 from lower angle of cell; 6 from near upper angle 

 of cell; 7 from the cell, to termen, almost straight; 8 and 9 stalked; 10 closely 

 approximate with 8 and 9. Hindwing as broad as forewing; frenulum present, single 

 in male, multiple in female; median vein nonpectinate on upper side; 8 veins; la, 



1 For material necessary for these studies the writer is indebted to Messrs. W. R. Walton, D. J. Caffrey, 

 and Geo. G. Ainslie, of the Bureau of Entomology, especially to the latter, who has furnished reared series 

 of moths of P. ainsliei and P. penitalis and a quantity of larvae and pupse of both species. In the United 

 States National Musetun, aside from this, there are bred series of P. peniUdis and P. ainsliei from various 

 localities. 



Dr. L. O. Howard has also kindly provided authentic European larvae, blown and alcoholic, of P. 

 nubilalis, secured through the courtesy of Prof. F. L. Bouvier, of Paris, France. 



For the drawings accompanying this paper the writer is indebted to Miss E. Hart and Miss Ada F. 

 Kneale, of the Bureau of Entomology. Miss Kneale has contributed figures of the female genitalia on 

 Plate 8. The rest are by Miss Hart. 



* Since these studies were begun, a suggestive paper dealing with the larvae of P. nvbilalts and other 

 lepidopterous borers has appeared. (Mosher, Edna, notes on lepidopterous borers fouxd in 



PLANTS, WITH SPEOAL REFERENCE TO THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER. In Jour. Econ. Ent., V. u, no. 3, 

 p. 258-268. I9I9.) 



Journal of Agricultural Research. Vol. XVIH, No. 3 



Washington, D. C. Nov. i, 1919 



td Key No. K-77 



134793°— 19 s 



(17O 



