116 



foimd to possess the ability to close the tracheae rapidly it will have 

 considerable bearing upon the type of dips that will prove most 

 effective. It is hoped that further attention may be given to this 

 problem. 



Davidson (W.M.). U.S. Bur. Bntom. The California Pistol Case 

 Bearer, Coleophora sacramenta, Heinrich.— J/, Econ. Entom., 

 Concord, N.H., xi, no. 6, December 1918, pp. 446-452. 1 plate. 



Coleophora sacramenta, Heinrich (California pistol case-bearer) is 

 one of the Elachistid moths, a number of which are injurious to 

 deciduous fruit trees. Allied species are C. fletcherella, Fernald, 

 (cigar case-bearer), C. volckei, Volck, (Western cigar case-bearer) and 

 C. malivorella; Riley (Eastern pistol case-bearer). The last-named, 

 which attacks pomaceous fruit-trees in the eastern States, is very 

 similar in appearance and habits to C. sacramenta, but the larvae 

 pupate on the twigs and branches instead of on the leaves as in the 

 case of C. sacramenta ; the egg and pupal instars of C. m/zUvorelh 

 in New York are passed in from 10 to 14 days, while those of C. sacra- 

 menta in California require about 25 days. 



There is one generation of C. sacramenta in California in a year. 

 The moths begin to appear about the middle of May and are present 

 until mid-July. How long they live is not known ; in cages they 

 existed for a week without food. The food-plants include plum, 

 prune, cherry, apricot and apple, especially plum and cherry. Eggs 

 are deposited on both sides of the leaf but mostly on the upper surface. 

 These hatch during June and July after an incubation period of 

 about 26 days. The young larvae upon hatching bore into the leaf 

 underneath the eggshell and begin to construct a case, and while 

 working under this they skeletonise the leaf, moulting once during 

 this period. In September they move to the twigs and limbs to which 

 they attach their cases for hibernation, and remain dormant until 

 the following February or March. A large percentage of the larvae 

 die during the dormant period. About the time when the buds are 

 swelling in spring the larvae resume activity, eating first the unopened 

 buds and later the young foliage as it appears. "When full-grown, and 

 after one or perhaps two moults, the larvae fasten their case to the leaf- 

 surface and pupate, this generally occurring in April and May. After 

 25 days the adult moths split the butt-end of the pistol-shaped case 

 and emerge. A description of each stage is given. 



The caterpillars are frequently parasitised by a Pteromalid, Enry- 

 dinota flavicorpus, the parasitism generally not being evident until 

 the larva is nearly mature. There are frequently from 10 to 20 

 parasites in a case and these issue at the time when the last moths 

 are emerging. 



Chittenden (F.H.). The Lotus Borer. — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, 

 N.H., xi, no. 6, December 1918, pp. 453-457, 1 plate. 



Much confusion has occurred between Pyrausta penitalis, Grote 

 (lotus borer) and P. nubilalis, Hb. (European cornstalk borer), and 

 it is hoped that this account of the former moth will serve to differen- 

 tiate it from allied species. The observed food-plants of P. penitalis 



