844 FIFTH EEPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



1070), that JE. americaUs feeds iu the larva state in the nests of au ant 

 (Formica rufa). He also stated that so far as he knew this was the first 

 iepidopterous insect known to develop in ants' nests. This statement, 

 however, elicited from Lord Walsingham the following statements, pub- 

 lished in the same magazine (January, 1884, p. 81) : "i^oticing your 

 mention of Helia americaUs as a myrmicophilous lepidopteron, I would 

 remind you of Myrmicocela ocliraceella Tgstr., which is found also in 

 ants' nests. It is allied to the true TineceJ^ 



According to Guenee, however, the larva of E. americaUs "lives on 

 leguminous plants, as Hedysarum. MeUlotus, Fisum etc., and even on 

 corn, and is very destructive." He adds that the chrysalis is contained 

 in a cocoon spun between leaves. 





J _ , — »— ^ 



Fig. 283.— HeZia cemula Smith del. 



Larva. — Body moderately thick, slightly tapering towards each end, dull brown, 

 with a well-marked dorsal and lateral line; the piliferous warts arranged much as in 

 Tortrix fumiferana, which the larva somewhat resembles, but the warts not so con- 

 spicuous. The head is slightly paler than the body. 



Pupa. — Body short and thick, rather fuller than usual, color pale horn-brown. Ab- 

 dominal spine broad and thick, subconical, rounded ; vertically flattened above and 

 beneath, the surfaces being somewhat convex, and the sides ridged above and below. 

 At the extreme end of the spine are two long slender bristles curved at the end ; on 

 the upper side of the spine are two bristles which converge and are closely connected 

 with the two at the tip. Length, 8 to Q'"™. 



Moth. — Fore wings ash-gray, darker on the outer half, crossed by three black lines. 

 The first line, situated at the base of the wing, is short, and represented by a black 

 costal mark, succeeded by a curved black line ending just behind the median vein, 

 not crossing the wing. Second line zigzag, situated on the basal fourth of the wing ; 

 it begins as au oblique mark on the costa, edged within with white ; behind, the line 

 makes two sharp teeth ; on the median vein it points inwards, and again outwards in 

 the submedian space. The third line is much broader and less wavy ; it curves 

 inward on the discal space, partly inclosing a large diffuse, discal, ocherous patch. 

 Above this patch on the costa is a black mark bordered on each side with white ; a 

 submargiual, fine, wavy, white line. At the base of the fringe is a black interrupted 

 line. Hind wings ocherous gray, crossed by three diffuse wavy blackish lines. Ex- 

 panse of wings, 20 to 22™">. 



27. The pitch-drop worm. 



Pinipestis Zimmermanni Grote. 



This is said by Mr. Zimmerman to be destructive to young spruces in 

 New York. (Can. Ent., xii, 59. See p. 731.) 



