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JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



IVol. 9 



there will be some scorching of the older leaves. The younger leaves 

 are not so easily injured. 



The moths make their appearance about Gainesville near the middle 

 of August and the larva? are often abundant by the first of September. 

 They^strip the blades from the leaves, leaving only the stems and 

 petioles. This attack, coming as it usually does at the blossoming 

 period, often results in a total loss of seed and hence of the entire value 



of the plant as a 

 forage crop. Even 

 its value as a pro- 

 ducer of humus is 

 also lessened as 

 the plant nor- 

 mally makes 

 much of its 

 growth after that 

 date. 



Distribution. 

 — The writer has 

 presented elsewhere (Ent. News, 

 xxvi) evidence that the insect 

 does not winter over in north or 

 central Florida but flies up each 

 season from the south and, like 

 Alabama argillacea, flies to re-: 

 gions far north of those in which 

 its food plants are found. 

 Further observations during the 

 past two seasons have amply 

 verified that conclusion. The 

 map (Fig. 36) shows the ap- 

 proximate date of the arrival of 

 the first moths in any part of 

 their range. The last moths of 

 the 1915 caterpillars were caught 

 at Gainesville on January 29, 

 1916. At Jesup, Ga., the caterpillars sometimes defoliate the velvet- 

 beans. At Valdosta and Hilton, Ga., they are known but are not 

 considered as being of much importance. I have been unable to find 

 any record of the caterpillars being seen north of those places. 

 Neither do they seem to be known in the west gulf states although 

 velvet-beans are quite extensively grown there. 



Life-History. — The eggs are laid singly, mostly on the under side 

 of the leaves, although manj^ are found on the upper surfaces and some 



Fig. 36. Map showing annual flight of 

 Anticarsia gemmatilis. (Original.) 



