110 PAPERS ON CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 
ficial introduction of parasites as one of the efficient measures to be 
taken in the control of a serious pest. 
That Autographa gamma californica may appear in enormous 
numbers is evidenced by one of the earliest biological records on 
this species. A note in the Bureau of Entomology files, made by 
Mr. Koebele* in 1886, states that on the morning of April 30 he 
examined a mass of material collected from within an electric light 
globe at Los Angeles, Cal. Of 4,161 moths examined, 2,005 were 
Autographa gamma californica. We further states that the larvee 
were numerous on a variety of plants. In anticipation of such an 
cutbreak the biological notes and other data at hand in this office are 
herewith published. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Specimens of this moth (Autographa gamma californica) in the 
United States National Museum were collected in Los Angeles 
County, Kern County, Placer, Alameda, and Fresno, Cal.; Colo- 
rado; Nevada; Seattle, Pullman, and Easton, Wash.; and along 
Kaslo Creek, in British Columbia. Mr. T. H. Parks, of this office, 
has collected larve of this species at Cokeville, Wyo., and Idaho 
Falls and Blackfoot, Idaho, in all cases feeding on alfalfa. 
SEASONAL HISTORY. 
This insect, in the Palouse region of Washington, passes the winter 
as hibernating pupa and probably also as the adult moth, since 
much-battered adults are to be seen early in the spring. Late in May 
and throughout June the adults are to be seen in the alfalfa and 
clover, darting rapidly away when disturbed. They are active in 
bright sunlight, feeding on the nectar from the clover and alfalfa 
blossoms. The flight, though short, is very direct and so rapid as 
to render the insect almost invisible. 
May 2, 1887, Mr. Koebele' records observing one of these moths, at 
Alameda, Cal., ovipositing on Malva rotundifolia at 3 o’clock in the 
afternoon. Definite data relative to the length of the egg stage of 
this species have not been obtained, though several female moths 
were confined for that purpose. They fed greedily on sugar sirup 
but refused to oviposit. However, Mr. E. O. G. Kelly, of this 
bureau, captured a female of Autographa brassice Riley in an alfalfa 
field at Wellington, Kans., on October 27, 1909. This moth died 
the following day, after laying eight eggs. These began hatching on 
November 2 and were all hatched the next day. This limits the 
egg stage of Autographa brassice to seven days, and this is very likely 
the time of incubation of the other species of this genus. 



1 Bureau of Entomology Notes, No. 95 K. 
