464 NEW VOKK STATE MUSEUM 



Memythrus asilipennis Roisd. 



A large, brownish, yellow-marked and yellow-iianded i learwing moth, with a wing 

 spread of I'i in<'hes, liores as a lar\a in ash and alder. 



The ash tree suffers \ery mvich in Massacliiisetts from attacks of this 

 l)oi-er, accorcHno- to 1 )r Harris. It lias bet-n recorded from New Hampshire 

 to I'dorichi, westward to Minnesota and southward to Te.xas. The species 

 occurs in Huftalo in small numbers. It also attacks alder. 



The followino' accoiuit of the habits of tliis borer is l)ased on obser\'a- 

 tions by Mr W . L. ])e\"ereau.\ of Clyde \. \'. riie- sjiecies is very abmidant 

 in that section, beiny more plentifid m some swamps tlian in others. It 

 runs its cylintlric Inirrow from the tap root directh' up the trunk, sometimes 

 to a heiorht of three or more feet, before turnino" and cuttiiio- its wa)' out. 

 This burrow is ne\'er in the center of the tree, but is o;enerall\' nearer the 

 bark than the heart, and the upriijht or vertical portion of it is as |)erfectl)' 

 made as t]iouL,di cut l)\- a carjjenter with bit and brace. Mr 1 )evereaux con- 

 siders the alder the laxorite host plant of this species because ash trees in 

 swamps not containino ;ilder are almost exempt from attack while no clump 

 of alder is without e\idences of its work. 



Description. Aldlc. Head blackish, palpi pale )'ellowish white beneath, 

 rufous above. Antennat- rufous. Collar edoed with dull orange brown. 

 Thorax brown, ])atao-ia rufous, hind portion with a \ellow transverse line. 

 Abdomen dull brown black with a very narrow yellow rint; at the posterior 

 edijje of each ses^nnent al)ove and below. Le^s oranoe, femora black. Fore 

 wings transparent with narrow brown bortlers and discal mark which is 

 marked with rufous ; uiuU-rside marked with orange lirown on the opaque 

 ])ortions of tlie wings. Hind wings transparent, with a ver)- narrow brown 

 border; underside similar to the upper. 



l-\iiialc. Lik(^ the male, Ijut the lorewings are opacpie, deep brown, 

 violaceous, with an oblicpie reddish discal mark, and a triangular transparent 

 area above the liintl angle. Abdomen like that ol the male, but more 

 robust, with the second segment marked with red abo\ e. .Antennae simple 



Expanse, male 30-38 mm ; female, 32-44 mm. J>i-/i/niiini!/er 



