8 THE FLORIDA FERN CATERPILLAR. 



THE PUPA. 



The pupa is robust, of the usual shining mahogany-brown color, 

 the posterior apex ending in two minute outcurv^ed spines. The 

 wing-pads are prominent. 



The length is five-eighths inch, and the width about half that. 



The eggs and immature stages of the larva have not come under 

 observation. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The type locality is Florida. Hampson records also Mexico, 

 Guatemala, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Santa 

 Lucia, St. Vincent, Venezuela, British Guiana, Brazil, and Trini- 

 dad. The species is also recorded from Santo Domingo. It is obvi- 

 ously a neotropical form and the only species of its genus occurring 

 in the United States. 



INJURIES AND HABITS. 



July 10, 1907, this species was reported as a pest by Mr. H. M. 

 Russell (at that time working under the writers direction), who 

 observed it at Orlando, Fla., attacking the fronds of potted maiden- 

 hair fern in that vicinity. It was noticed that the larva? usually 

 fed at night, although sometimes found feeding during the day. 

 They concealed themselves in the daytime at the base of the ferns 

 or were found resting low down on the stems, and they appeared to 

 have a habit of crawling up the stems and eating off several leaflets 

 on one side, thus spoiling the beauty of the plants. The larvae 

 observed began to transform to pupae August 1. 



During September of the same year Mr. Bartos, Mr. J. E. Watson, 

 and Mr. F. H. Kramer, of Anacostia, D. C, made complaint that this 

 caterpillar was injurious to several species of ferns in greenhouses. 

 On September 24 Mr. C. H. Popenoe, an entomological assistant in 

 this bureau, was detailed to obtain additional specimens and make 

 observations on the habits of the insect and the conditions of the 

 greenhouses. Larvae were obtained in different stages, chiefly between 

 half-grown and nearly grown specimens. They wore feeding in the 

 afternoon on the upper surface of the leaves. The usual method of 

 attack, as observed, consisted in biting off the midrib leaf one-half 

 to one-tliird the way up. Maidenhair or Adiantum ferns were at- 

 tacked either by biting off the leaflets at the tips of the fronds or 

 by biting off the entire frond about 1 inch above the ground. The 

 majority of the larva^ observed were resting either near the tip of 

 the frond of the midrib or else concealed in the stems at the bavSe 

 of the plant. An entire house of Adiantum had been completely 

 stripped of the leaves by the larva', and one grower stated that his 



