INSECTS ATTACKIXC WKKDS IN M IN X 1-:S( )TA. 145 



CrP PLANT (Silphium pcrfoliatitiii LJ Insects. 



The Cup Plant Leaf-Miner {MhyorJiopala :iftafa, FabrJ. 



The large leaves of this plant when infested look very conspic- 

 uous, owing to the large blotch mine of this beetle. As many as 

 twenty larvae were counted in a single leaf. They became full 

 grown Jtily 17, while the adults emerged Jtilv 2'). The inipae are 

 motile, for they were olxserved to move around in the breeding cage. 

 The adults measure abotit y^ inch long, have an orange-colored 

 thorax and an orange-colored stripe on each elytra. 



ROUCiH OX-EVE (Hcliopsis scabra DunaU Insects. 



The Rough Ox-Eye Seed Maggot (.Igroiiiyca -rirciis, Loew.A 



The heads of this weed are often full of small dipterous larvae 

 and puparia, together with small Tineid larvae. The adult ft)rm of 

 the latter was not reared. The larvae of A. z'irciis were nttmerous 

 on July 20, in the flowers, mining all through tlie 1:)ases of the 

 plants, there being fifteen or twenty in each head. On July 26, 

 adult flies were emerging. This species seems to have variable 

 habits, for it has also been reared from the lower part of the stem 

 of the roadside thistle. (See Molloch.) 



WILD SUNFLOWER (Hcliaiithus hirsiitiis Raf.j Insects. 

 The Sunflower Tortoise Beetle ( Physoiiota iiiiipunctata. Say). 



The species is reported as occurring on flowers of Crataegus, 

 on the horse mint (Monarda) and the rosin-weed (Silphium), both 

 larvae and adults feeding on the latter. 



Life history. — The beetles and their egg-masses were first (ob- 

 served on May 2^^ eating the leaves of the sunflower. The eggs, 

 which are laid in masses on the under side, hatch in al)out two 

 weeks. L'pon emerging, the }'Oung gather in clusters on the under 

 side of the leaf and eat the epidermis. When abundant, as they 

 sometimes are, they may destroy all the leaves on a single plant. 

 Upon reaching maturity, they become more solitary and may be 

 found on the upper side of the leaf. The larva carry their excrement 

 on tlieir caudal fork and are hence known as ])cddlers. On July 

 29 some had pupated,, while on August 7 adults emerged, thus re- 

 quiring about tw^o months to complete their life history. There is 

 one generation a year and the winter is passed in the adult stage. 



Adult. — Immediately upon emerging, the thorax is creamy 

 white, with the five black spots very distinct, the anterior ones being 



