10 



PSYCHE. 



SOME FACTS IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF HYPOPTA BERT- 



HOLDI GROTE. 



BY J. J. RIVERS, SANTA MONICA, CAL. 



The color of the hirva when about entirely leave the pupa case and clinih 



half an inch long, is yellowish white; some friendl}' twig to give support, 



but as it increases in size the tone of while the wings are unfolding, but the 



color becomes warmer until at its full anal portion of the abdomen is still 



growtli it assumes a beautiful carnelian retained in the gaping pupa case, 



red heightened by an enamelled surface. While the wings are growing the body 



The exact larval changes are not of the moth is nearly vertical, the pupa 



easily observed, because this, like case being its base. Then the wings 



other species of endophagous larvae, unfold outwai'ds and upwards back to 



will not yield to the prj'ing methods of back, describing a higli angle. When 



the lepidopterist ; a second disturbance the growth is completed and the wings 



ends the life of the larva. Cossjis are hardened, they drop deflexed, the 



ligniperda of Europe will endure bar- moth withdraws entirely from the pupa 



barous treatment, but this Californiau case and crawls a short distance upon 



prefers death rather than submit to mo- the surface of the ground where it re- 



lestation. Its food consists of the fibre mains until the shadow of the descend- 



of the main stem and larger roots of the ing sun reminds it of the approach of 



lilac flowered lupin which grows on the the period of its activitv. 

 hills of the Coast Range. The duration 



of life in the larval state is undetermined, 

 but the occurrence of larvae of several 

 ages in the same shrub would imply 

 that its period of growth must extend 

 beyond one year. 



The fully grown larva leaves the 

 food plant and wanders a long distance 

 before burrowing. It descends into 

 the groimd a foot or more where it 

 forms a cocoon bv weaving together 

 grranules of sand or any other material 



DESCRIPTION- OF THE LARV.\ OF 

 HYPOPTA BERTHOLDI. 



Mr. J. J- Rivers has sent me some exam- 

 ples of the larva of this cossid, the first larva 

 of this genus found in America. Head 

 small, partly retracted; clypeus small, taper- 

 ing above, corrugated as are also the lower 

 sides of the lobes ; jaws and labrum large ; an- 

 tennae rather short : red. the most of the ex- 

 posed corrugated part dark brown. Body flat- 

 tened, especially ventrally, smooth, shining 

 red. Each dorsal segment has a single Irans- 



within reach and pupates and reaches verse grove, laterally two longitudinal ridges. 

 maturit\- in five or six weeks. 



The pupa may be said to be active, 

 as it appears at the surface of the 

 ground, head projecting, just before the 

 moth emerges. The moth does not 



Thoracic feet small, pointed ; abdominal ones 

 very short, practically absent, the crotchets 

 distinct, arranged in two long parallel trans- 

 verse rows. Joint 13 is small and in place 

 of feet there is a black hardened area 

 Above on the suranal flap a large black, 



