THE PECAN CIGAR CASE-BEAEER. 85 



fig. 2) in the leaves, feeding generally on the under side but some- 

 times on the upper also. These mines are deserted by the larv£e 

 when they can not reach more of the surrounding tissue without 

 leaving their cases, and new mines are made. In this way badly 

 infested leaves may have from six to twenty mines to each leaflet. 

 Soon the old mines dry up and are broken out by the wind, leaving 

 the leaves full of ragged holes. The larvoe feed during the day and can 

 often be seen with the head and part of the body inserted between 

 the leaf surfaces, eating out the tissues in an ever-enlarging angulai" 

 mine. If disturbed or in search of fresh food, these larva? will move 

 around considerably. When making a new mine the end of the case 

 is looselv fastened and hold diagonallv attached, to the leaf. (See 



%. 24.)' 



HABITS OF THE PUPATING LARVA. 



During May most of the larvae become mature and they then 

 either fasten the case tightly to the leaves and pupate or move to 

 twigs, branches, or bits of bark on the trunk of the tree and fasten 

 the cases there. The larvae spin a quantity of silk by which they 

 fasten the cases very firmly to the support, after wliich they reverse 

 their position, so that the head is pointing out toward the unattached 

 end. After remaining quiet for a number of da3^s the pupse are 

 formed, and the adults emerge during the last of May or the first of 

 June. 



SEASONAL HISTORY. 



As far as observed, tliis insect has only one brood during the year, 

 the larvae liibernating when only partially growTi. 



In Florida the larvae of this species become active from the 15th 

 to the 30th of March, when the buds of the pecan are opening, or 

 just after they have opened. Leaving the tA\'igs and sheltered 

 places where they have hibernated, they begin feeding on the buds 

 or tender leaves. In a short time these larvae outgrow their old 

 winter cases and construct new ones of larger size. During the spring 

 of 1908 this occurred mosth' between April 1 and April 7. 



The larvae, after forming new cases, continue feeding and grow 

 rapidh' until ^lay, when they become full grown. 

 , By Ma}' 4, 1909, a few larvae pupated and, as others pupated from 

 time to time, by Ma}' 19 or 20 the greater part of the brood was in 

 the pupal state. Tliis pupal period occupies about twelve days. 



An adult was observed in the cage on May 11, but most of the 

 moths emerge from May 27 to June 5. On June 3 the adults wei-e 

 abundant on the foliage of pecan. 



The adult probably lays her eggs on the underside of the leaves 

 during June, and by the middle of July the larvae are worldng as 

 miners in the leaves of pecan. After a time they construct their 



