U. S. D. A.. P.. K. r.nl. 127. Part I. T. C. & S. P. I. I., May .'.1, 1913. 



PAPERS ON INSECTS AFFECTING VEGETABLE AND 

 TRUCK CROPS. 



THE SPOTTED BEET WEBWORM. 



{Ihjmenia licrsiiectalis Iliibii.) 



By F. H. Chittenden. Sc. D.. 



In Chunjc of TiKck Vro}) dud Stored I'rodiirt Jiiscct J iircstif/dtions. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The spotted beet webworni {Hytnenia 'persjyectalis Hiibn.) has at- 

 tracted the writer's attention on two occasions from its occurrence on 

 beets in the District of Cohnnbia. It is a singular fact that it was 

 first ob.served in 1905 and that its presence did not again become no- 

 ticeable until after a lapse of seven years, or until 1912, when it became 

 a veritable pest. It ma}^ be chissified both as an enemy to sugar beet, 

 because of its occurrence on that phmt normall3\ and as an insect 

 injurious to ornamental phmts in botli the garden and greenhouse. 

 The larva is at first sight rather plain, but on clo.ser examination it is 

 seen to be distinctly and beautifully marked. The moth is also a 

 most beautiful creature and has often been found flying about the 

 District of Columbia. The food plants which will be mentioned in 

 the present paper probably do not by any means exhaust the list. 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



THE .AIOTII. 



Hi/iiwn'ta perfipectalh is a member of the family Pyralidse and sub- 

 family Pj^raustina", according to Dr. Dyar's classification. It has been 

 described under various synonyms as follows: SjJoladia animalis 

 Guen.. *S'. exportalis Guen., ZincJxenia pHmordiah's Zell., Desmia 

 rhintlionalis Walw., and Tlymenia pharsiusalh Walk. 



The genus (under the name Zinckenia) is characterized by Sir 

 George Hampson as follows : 



Palpi upturned, the 2ud .ioiut broadly scaled in front and not reaching vertex 

 of head, the 3rd well developed and acuminate; maxillary palpi long and fili- 

 form : frons rounded : antennte of male nearly simple, the base of shaft excised, 



1 



