December, '17] dozier: life -history of the okra caterpillar 539 



On plants of the cotton rose, larvse of Chloridea virescens Fabr, were 

 found August 4 in association with those of Cosmophila. Together, 

 they were doing serious damage. 



Chloridea virescens is known as the true tobacco bud worm moth. 

 The following description will serve to distinguish between these two 

 insects in the different stages : 



Chloridea virescens 



Description. Larva: Smooth, soft, translucent, green in color. Finely speckled 

 with pale yellowish spots, body covered with fine translucent hairs. These fine 

 translucent hairs are lacking in Cosmophila. 



Pupa: Blunter anal extremities than Cosmophila and conical projection on front of 

 head. 



Adult: About the same size as Cosmophila. Has its front wings light green in ' 

 color crossed by three Ught bands. Each band is relieved by a dark greenish shade 

 on its outer border; hind wings silvery white or shghtly tipped with dusky markings. 



Larvse feed upon Solanaceous plants; has been reared from Solarium seiglinge and 

 Physalis mscosa. 



Both Chloridea virescens and Cosmophila are strongly attracted to 

 lights. With them are taken large numbers of another noctuid that 

 greatly resembles C. virescens. This is Shinia trifascia Hiibner and can 

 be distinguished from the latter by its smaller size and slight differences 

 in markings. 



Food Plants 



Riley states that the food plant of Cosmophila erosa is Urena lobata 

 and that eggs and larvse were found in September 1882, on Abutilon 

 avicenna at several localities in the District of Columbia. Larvse and 

 eggs were found on leaves of Malva rotundifolia at Giesborough, D. C, 

 October 28, 1916. 



Chittenden gives an account of its attacking Abutilon and hollyhocks 

 at Diamond Point, Va., and states that it was found on okra at Wash- 

 ington, D. C, in 1912. He states that the larvse seem to prefer 

 Abutilon to hollyhock. 



The writer has found this insect feeding on the following plants in 

 order of damage done at Gainesville, Fla. : Flowering maple {Abutilon 

 striatum), okra {Hibiscus esculentus), confederate or cotton rose 

 {Hibiscus mutabilis), roselle {Hibiscus sahdariffa), Chinese mallow 

 {Hibiscus sinensis), cotton {Gossypium spp.), swamp or rose mallow 

 {Hibiscus moscheutos), and bell pepper {Pepperomia sp.). 



Economic Importance 



The work of Cosmophila erosa on okra has doubtless been attributed 

 to that of Autographa brassiccc. The former seems to be one of the 

 worst pests of okra. 



