NOCTU^.LIT^. 3j^ 



tinct white band running across them. The caterpillar is gen- 

 erally of a livid or purplish brown, though varying nuich a'^s to 

 depth of shading and is darker before than behind. "The 

 young worm hatches about the first of July and inunediately 

 commences its work of destruction. It works in such a sur- 

 reptitious manner as to be too often unnoticed till the vine is 

 destroyed. The plant does not generally show any signs of 

 decay until the worm is about fully grown, when it Avilts^and is 

 past recovery. This occurs about a month after the worm is 

 hatched, and it then crawls just under the surface of the ground, 

 fastens a little earth together around itself by a slight web and 

 changes to a chrysalis of a very light mahogany brown color, 

 and three-fourths of an inch long. The moth comes forth the 

 fore part of September. The carefid culturist need fear nothing 

 from this troublesome insect, as an occasional close inspection 

 of the plants about the first of July will reveal the hole where 

 the borer has entered, which is generally quite a distance from 

 the ground, and by splitting downwards one side of the stalk 

 with a penknife it may be found and killed. If this inspection 

 be made at the proper time the worm will be found but a short 

 distance from the hole and the sj^lit in the stalk will heal by 

 being kept closed with a piece of thread." (Prairie Farmer.) 

 Achatodes differs from Gortyna in not having the fore wings 

 falcate. A. zew, described by Harris, is rust-red with gray 

 clouds and bands on the fore wings and yellowish gray hind 

 wmgs ; it expands an inch and a half. The larva feeds "inside 

 the stalks of corn, within which it transforms ; it is a little 

 over an inch long, smooth and naked, with the head and the 

 top of the first and last rings of the body black, and with a 

 double row of small, smooth, black dots across each of the 

 other rings. It also infests the dahlia and elder. 



The genus Mamestra comprises rather large moths in which 

 the antenna are rather long and simple in the male ; the front 

 of the head is smooth and convex, and the reniform dot is 

 very distinct, while the outer margin of the fore wings is rather 

 oblique. Tlie larAa is longer than usual and feeds on the 

 leaves of low plants, remaining concealed by day. The pupa 

 IS subterranean, the cocoon being made of earth. 



Mamestra arctica Boisd. (Hadena arnica) is common north. 



