PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 67 
depriving it of foodplants, which include wild species of Heliotropium 
as well as Crotalaria ; but it seems probable that any efforts in this 
direction would be foiled by the strong migratory abilities possessed by 
this insect, which is a well-known migrant, frequently reported as met 
with out at sea at great distances from the nearest land. The other 
line of mvestigation deals with its natural enem‘es in the way of parasites. 
{t is possible that we may be able to find, and introduce where necessary, 
parasites to check Utetheisa as the caterpillar feeds quite exposed and 
should fall an easy prey, especially when it occurs (as it does on Sann- 
hemp) in enormous numbers. That is a thing in which you can all 
help by collecting large numbers of Utetheisa larve and seeing whether 
you can get any parasites ; and, if so, we should like to know and to 
have specimens, alive if possible, to experiment with. 
There does not seem much more to say about this species except 
to call your attention to the considerable range of variability exhibited 
by Utetheisa pulchella, both in the caterpillar and the moth. In both 
the markings seem extremely variable and we had some caterpillars, 
found at Pusa on Heliotropium, which we supposed to be something 
quite different ; but they all turned out to be quite ordinary Utetheisa. 
As regards the moths, the largest range of variation seems to be shown 
in the Punjab, where in some cases the black markings of the forewing 
may be obsolete leaving the red markings strongly developed and coal- 
escing to form crimson stripes and bars, and in other cases the red matk- 
ings may have disappeared leaving the black markings only. I just 
mention this.so that you may know what to expect if you come across 
specimens which do not exactly agree with the examples shown on our 
coloured plate of this species. é 
Utetheisa pulchella occurs in the Punjab on Sann-hemp as a pest Mr. M. M. Lal. 
and is found breeding on Heliotropium also. It occurs from March to 
September. 
In Bengal it is checked by bagging, but this is only possible in smail Mr. Sen. 
plots when the crop is young. 
In the Central Provinces Utetheisa is generally found on “ Ghunghuni.”’ Mr. Ratiram. 
I do not know the botanical name but it is apparently closely allied 
toSann-hemp. The cultivators are advised to eradicate* this weed. 
As regards natural enemies, a bird, Motacilla alba, has been observed 
to feed on these caterpillars and the Pentatomid bug, Canthecona fur- 
cellata, is also predaceous on them. 
In Burma Utetheisa pulchella occurs commonly on Sann-hemp. Mr. Shroff. 
Argina cribraria [“ South Indian Insects”, pp. 400-401, fig. 270] Mr. Fletcher. 
occurs throughout India, Burma and Ceylon as a pest, often serious, 
of Sann-hemp, the larva devouring the pods and leaves much in the 
6 
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