362 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



5, The sulphur-lkap roller-motet. 



Tortrix sulfureana Clem.* 



Order Lepidoptera ; family Tortricid^. 



Drawing together the leaflets of red and white clover and feeding on the tissues, £t 

 small yellowish-green larva, which transforms into a brownish colored pupa, from 

 which emerges a small sulphur yellow moth with purplish red markings. 



We copy verbatim Prof. Comstock's account of this insect, which he 

 reports as feeding on the locust. (See Ag. Rep. for 1880.) 



During the summer of 1879 small yellowish green larvte were found in considerable 

 numbers in the District of Columbia, feeding ou red clover {Trifolium pratense), and 

 also on white clover (TrifoUum repens). The larv.^e were first found May 13, folding 

 the leaflets of red clover iiito a kind of tube by drawing the edges together with 

 silken threads, which was spun for this purpose. Sometimes they spin two leaflets 

 loosely together, or to the flower head when they are nearly full grown. They issue 

 from either end of this tub*?, and feed upon the surrounding foliage, of which, when 

 the larvje are young, they eat only the under surface, leaving the veins and the 

 epidermis of the upper side intact, but when nearly full grown they eat irregular 

 holes through the surrounding leaflets and flower heads. 



These larvse are very active when disturbed, and wriggle from their tubes, sus- 

 pending themselves by a silken thread, by which they can let themselves down to 

 the ground, and if further disturbed, they wriggle about with great energy. 



Some of the larvje changed to pup;e on the 19th of May in folded leaves, which 

 they lined closely with silk. The perfect insects began to emerge on the 19th, and 

 continued until June 3, when the last of this lot came out. On the 20th of June 

 several larvae were found feeding in a similar manner to the above on the leaves of 

 white clover on the department grounds. At this time they were less than half 

 grown, but transformed to pupoe by the first of July, the perfect insects emerging 

 from July 5 to 14. About the middle of August more of these larvae were found on 

 red clover, some nearly grown, others quite small. These became full-grown in a 

 short time, passed their transformation, and emerged as lierfect insects from Septem- 

 ber 1 to 16. Those which changed to pupae September 1 emerged on the 10th. 



From the data now before us it is more than probable that there are three genera- 

 tions in a year in the latitude of the District of Columbia, the first appearing in the 

 perfect state about the last of May, the second in the early part of July, and the 

 third in the early part of September. One full-grown larva was found on clover 

 October 21, and it may be that this species hibernates in the larva state, the same 

 as the codling moth. Professor P"'ernald informs us that he does not think there is 

 more than one generation in Middle and Northern Maine. 



Distribution. — These insects are very widely distributed through the United States, 

 having been reported from Maine to Florida, and as far west as Texas and Missouri. 



Food-plants. — Besides the plants mentioned above — red and white clover — the larvae 

 of this species were found and fed on locust, strawberry, and grape. Some of the 

 larvae were also fed upon the cotton plant by way of experiment. Specimens were 

 received from Dr. R. S. Turner, Fort George, Fla., which fed on orange. Mr. B. D. 

 Walsh bred this species from the willow gall Salicis-brassicoides, in Illinois. 



Natural enemies. — One of the larvae on clover was found to be infested with a 

 Hymenopterous parasite, which, however, failed to emerge. 



* Synonyms. — Croesia? sulfureana Clem.; Conchylis gratanaWalk. ; Croesiaffulvo- 

 roseana Clem.; Croesiaf virginiana Clem.; Croesia? gallivorana Clem.; Tortrix sul- 

 fureana Robs.; Tortrix (Diehelia) sulfureana Zell. and variety belfrageana Zell.; 

 Cenopia gracilana Wlsm. 



