640 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



Roselle is fast becoming an important commercial plant in southern 

 Florida where it is grown fox making jelly. Cosmophila is capable 

 of becoming a very serious pest to this plant. 



As an enemy of ornamentals, such as the different varieties of 

 Hibiscus, Abutilon and hollyhocks, this insect seems to be a serious 

 one, capable of ruining the appearance of the plant in a very short 

 time. Large numbers of Hibiscus plants are grown for commercial 

 purposes in the nurseries of the state and nearly every private home 

 garden contains a few of these plants for decorative purposes. 



Although in the case cited, the damage done to varieties of cotton 

 was negligible, this might not always be the case. Cosmophila would 

 be capable of doing serious damage to cotton under favorable condi- 

 tions. Again, work of Cosmophila has probably been often attributed 

 to that of the cotton caterpillar, Alabama argillacea. 



General Habits of the Larvae 



The larvae, upon hatching, make their first meal of their egg shells. 

 The newly hatched larvae are almost indistinguishable from those of 

 Alabama, being the same in size and color. In this state they are most 

 nervous and active, and are usually found feeding on the lower side of 

 the leaves, which they resemble so much in color that it is difficult to 

 detect them when at rest. They stretch to their fullest extent, when 

 resting, but are often observed in the erect position assumed by Geomet- 

 rid larvae. 



According to Riley, "the principal time of feeding, as observed in my 

 vivarium, appears to be at night, and the larvae usually rest during the 

 day on the lower sides of the leaves. " According to the writer's 

 observations, the larvae feed steadily during the day, full-grown larvae 

 having been observed in the field in September feeding on Hibiscus 

 buds at 10.30 a. m. in bright sunlight. The writer has also observed 

 larvae in many cases to eat a great deal during the day in his confine- 

 ment cages. There is no doubt that the larvae in Florida feed steadily 

 during the day. 



The larvae in the first stage do not skeletonize the leaf in feeding as do 

 many of the Noctuidae but eat numerous small holes in it. The larger 

 larvae in feeding eat out large holes in the leaves. In the case of flower 

 buds of Hibiscus the larvae eat into the buds destroying their contents. 

 This phase of injury has not been observed on any of the other food 

 plants. 



The larvae travel with the characteristic movement of semi-loopers. 

 As they grow larger they become more and more sluggish in their 

 movements, usually clinging very tenaciously to the leaf. The larvae, 

 when full grown, often assume a very peculiar position — that of a 

 9 — when at rest upon either the upper or lower surface of the leaf. 



