June, '16] ESSIG: A COCCID-FEEDING MOTH , 369 



A COCCID-FEEDING MOTH 



Holcocera icerycvella (Riley) 

 (Blastobasis icerycuella Riley) 



By E. O. EssiG, University of California, Berkeley, Cal. 



During the summer of 1915 the writer was able to make a number 

 of observations on a coccid-feeding moth which occurs in considerable 

 numbers on the campus of the University of California. This insect 

 was sent to Dr. C. V. Riley who published a description and short 

 report in 1886.^ During the winter of 1914 ]Mr. E. P. Van Duzee of the 

 Station Staff called attention to the small hibernating larvse beneath the 

 old shells of the European peach scale, Lecanium 'persicm (Fab.). 

 From these caterpillars adults were reared the following spring and 

 forwarded to the Bureau of Entomology', United States Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, and were determined by Mr. 

 August Busck. 



The caterpillars are small, averaging about 6 mm., but some attain a 

 length of 10 mm. The color is dark reddish-brown with the dorsum 

 noticeablj' dusky or black. There are several conspicuous narrow 

 whitish lines on the dorsum and the body is covered wdth numerous 

 short irregular lines of the same color. The tubercles and hairs are 

 also white. PI. 28. fig. 2 shows the markings fairly well. The pro- 

 thoracic shield and head are very dark brown or black. The moths 

 average about 9 mm. to the tips of the wings, but the body is only about 

 half as long. The color is ashy-gray due to a mingling of light and dark 

 scales as shown in PI. 28, fig. 1. Near the middle of the front wings 

 the black scales form an oblique transverse line which is bordered ante- 

 riorly by a light-colored line of about the same width. The posterior 

 portions are much darker than the remainder because of the presence 

 of numerous larger black patches. The under surface of the front 

 wings and all of the hind wings are light, the fringes being j^ellowish. 

 The body is silvery-gray with the posterior part of the abdomen 

 sometimes dusky. The legs and antennae are light gray with dusky 

 markings. 



1 Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, pp. 484-486, 1886. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 28 



Fig. 1. Adult of Holcocera iceryoeella (Riley). Enlarged. (Original. Photo by 

 Dept. Scientific Illustration, Univ. of Cal.) 



Fig. 2. Larvae of Holcocera iceryoeella (Riley). Enlarged. (Original.) 

 Fig. 3. Branch of laurel or sweet bay tree, Laurus nobilis Linn., showing infesta- 

 tion of greedy scale, Asyidiottis camellice Sign., and the webs of the iarvie of Holco- 

 cera iceryoeella (Riley). 



