148 



PREPARATORY STAGES OF DRASTERIA 

 ERICHTEA, Cramer. 



Bv G. H. P^RENCH, Carbondale, 111. 



Egg. — Diameter .035 inch; globular, only slightly flattened on the 

 base; longitudinally striated, the ridges shallow, some long and some 

 short, about 15 reaching the apex; the apex rather coarsely but shal- 

 lovvly punctured; color green. Deposited singly and in clusters on 

 the stem and leaves of clover. Duration of this period five days. 



Young Larva. — Length .15 inch, very slender, head about one- 

 fourth larger than body, legs twelve, looping like a Catocala larva when 

 walking. Color of head and first and last joints of the body pale red- 

 dish, the rest of body green with brown piliferous spots. Duration of 

 this period three days. 



After first Moult: length .30 inch; color green with three reddish 

 brown stripes on each side, the centre of the back clear green. Head, 

 and joints 2 and 13 nankeen color, the red stripes extending over all 

 but the head. Piliferous spots inconspicuous, the hairs gray. Duration 

 of this period three days. 



After second Moult: length .40 inch; color an alternate arrangement 

 of pale green or yellowish green stripes and single or double reddish 

 brown stripes. Dorsal, sub-dorsal, and sub-stigmatal yellowish green, 

 the first and last a little the widest; the stripe in the dorsal space or out- 

 side the dorsal line, and the stigmatal double, or with a more or less 

 continuous central field of the green a little brown tinted; below the sub- 

 stigmatal there are five reddish brown lines, the first and second on 

 each side more or less double; the upper stripes are continued on to the 

 head, jaws brown, thoracic feet brownish, the abdominal striped parallel 

 to the body. Duration of this period three days. 



After third Moult: length .65 inch; colors as before; a series of stripes. 

 Dorsal stripe composed of a central brownish gray line bordered each 

 side by a pale yellow one; next to this a stripe with the same centre 

 but a brownish purple line each side; outside this the sub-dorsal pale 

 yellowish line; below this a stripe like the dorsal, then a pale yellow 

 line below which is a stripe composed of a brownish gray centre with 

 a brownish purple line each side; below this a broader yellow sub-stig- 

 matal line, darker yellow than the the sub-dorsal; below the sub-stig- 

 matal are nine brownish purple lines alternating with yellow ones, the 

 central line the broadest. Duration of this period six days. 



After fourth Moult: length .95 inch; striped as before in regard to 

 position and number but differing a little in color. Dorsal carneous 

 with a gray centre with yellow border; outside this a purplish brown 



