Rosy Rustic and Surface Larvce. 83 



hour by one specimen under observation. The damage caused by 

 a small number in a plot of potatoes will be seen to be very great. 

 The larvre have been reported as early as May 10th in dock. Stainton 

 says it feeds on the roots of various Cyperacea. The pupal stage is 

 found in the ground in an earthen excavation. It is light yellowish- 

 browTi in colour, about three-fourths of an inch long, ending in an 

 anal spike and some short stout bristles, pointing backwards, on the 

 last two segments. The imago appears in August and September, a 

 few stragglers even in October. It is particularly found in gardens 

 and lanes and by hedgerows, also along the borders of ditches, 

 marshes and fens. It flies at night and readily comes to light. The 

 fore wings are pale brown with a rosy tinge, a dark broad patch 

 below the upper border between the inner line and the elljowed line. 

 The hind wings are whitish-grey with a darker central line. The wing 

 expanse varies from one and a quarter to one and a half inches. 



An almost identical attack is recorded from America * by two 

 species, Hydrcecia nitela and H. nehris, Guen. The former is known 

 as the Potato Stalkborer and has been recorded doing injury to 

 potatoes in Western Maine, the damage being due to the larvse 

 boring up the stalk and causing it to wilt. It also attacks wheat 

 and carnations in Ohio (Webster). It also injures tomato, spinach, 

 cauliflower, dahlia, aster, lily, spirwa, salvia, thistle and other plants, 

 and has been noticed in currant, apple, peach and blackberry twigs, 

 and wheat and other corn. No doubt our species has a similar 

 varied diet. I do not know the egg stage of this moth, nor where 

 the eggs are deposited in this country. 



Pl{EVENTIOX. 



All we can do is to hand-pick the haulm in gardens and fields 

 where it is seen to wilt and then destroy the larvae inside ; by so 

 doing a great deal of damage will be saved. Poultry should be 

 turned on potato fields, when the crop has been lifted, to devour the 

 pupa?, and the men should be instructed to kill all pupae they turn 

 up in digcrine:. 



^00" 



Surface Larvae attacking Celery and Potatoes. 



The Heart and Dart Moth (A. exclamationis, Linn.) larva, 

 commonly called Surface Larvte or Cutworms, were reported by 

 Messrs. Carter and Co. as seriously attacking one of their clients' 



* " Some Insects injurious to Vegetable Crops," F. H. Chittenden, U.S. Dept. 

 Agri., Div. Ent., Bull. 33, 1902. 



G 2 



