66 LIFE-HISTORIES OF EUCOSMIDA 
This species has been confused with L. pseudonectis and it is doubtful 
whether the earlier Pusa records, ascribed to L. tricentra, are really referable 
to this species. 
Cj dso LASPEYRESMA PSEUDONECTIS, MEYR. (PLATE XV.) 
Laspeyresia pseudonectis, Meyr., B. J., XVIII, 146-147 (1907)() ; Lefroy, 
Ind. Ins. Life, p. 531, t.54 [%] (1909) (2); Proc. Second Entl. Meeting, 
pp. 69-70 (1917)(3). 
Larva tunnels stems of Crotalaria juncea at. Surat in October('). 
“L. pseudonectis, Meyr., has the same habit [as L. tricentra, Meyr.] and 
was reared from Sann-hemp at Surat, and in Bihar. It is a common pest to 
this crop, and with the proceeding [ preceding] is probably widespread in India. 
[Plate LIV](?).” It may be added that the Plate LIV here referred to is a 
very poor one and it is doubtful whether it really refers to L. pseudonectis or 
L. tricentra. 
“ Laspeyresia pseudonectis attacks Sann-hemp whilst the crop is. still 
young, about five or six inches high. At that stage of growth the caterpillar 
attacks the top-shoot which is formed imto a characteristic gall. The attack 
does not stop altogether the growth of the plant; which grows im length. In 
later stages of growth of the plant, the attack takes place at the axils of leaves, 
where also a swelling is formed. In this latter case, the fibre 1s affected. 
There may be more than one gall in the same plant. The caterpillar feeds 
inside the gall and pupates there ; whilst young it is green but becomes a 
bright red before pupation. The caterpillar hay been found to affect the 
capsules also, boring the seeds, but this is unusual andthis habit has only 
been observed hitherto during the winter months. The imsect hibernates as a 
caterpillar from November to February and then aestivates from March to 
June ; it may be in the stem if the plants remain in the field or, if the pods are 
collected, the caterpillars form cocoons amongst the debris and remain there. 
“As regards control, in the case of young plants the removal and de- 
struction of the galled topshocts is necessary and this should reduce further 
damage(3).”’ 
L. pseudonectis occurred in destructive numbers on Sann-hemp (Crotalaria 
juncea) at Sabour in November 1909, and has also been reported as damaging 
this crop in the Central Provinces and at Surat. The Pusa collection contains 
examples from Pusa, Coimbatore, Samalkote, Bassein Fort (Bombay) and 
Peshawar. 
At Samalkote it was reared on larvee on Sann-hemp and at Coimbatore 
from larvee on green gram (Phaseolus mungo) and on horse gram (Dolichos 
biflorus) 
