13 



name of greenhouse leaf-tyer, a cognomen which has already been 

 adopted. 



DIVISIONAL RECORDS OF INJURY. 



What is probably the first rearing of this species is that of June, 

 1888, in the laboratory of this office. The 23d of that month Mr. 

 Theo. Pergandc found larva? and pupae in one of the conservatories 

 connected with this Department. They had done much damage to a 

 number of small plants of the nodding thistle, Carduus [A/^7'efli'a] 

 cernuiis^ a European plant sparingly introduced about some cities in 

 the Eastern United States. These larvte had completel}^ skeletonized 

 the plants, causing them to dry up. From this lot moths were reared 

 flune 28. On September 14 of the same year were received larvae and 

 pupae from Mr. E. S.Miller, Wading River, Queens County, N. Y., 

 with the statement that the larvae were doing much injuiy to all kinds 

 of "soft- wooded"" greenhouse plants (Insect Life, Vol. II, p. 277). 



The writers first experience with this species was on July 7, 1893, 

 when it was observed in all stages in a conservatory at the World's 

 Columbian Exposition at -lackson Park, Chicago. One of the exhib- 

 itors in the Horticultural Building showed the writer specimens of the 

 moth, and stated that it was very injurious to dried apples from Mis- 

 souri and Idaho. A personal visit to the building resulted in the dis- 

 covery that the dried apples were, in realit}", injured by the Indian- 

 meal moth {Plodla inter punctella Hbn.); but by striking some of the 

 ornamental plants in the conservatory with a cane the moths of this 

 leaf-tyer were induced to fly up and were captured. A careful search 

 of the plants upon which the moths were most frequenth^ noticed led 

 to the finding of the larvae. The plants mostly attacked were the 

 wandering jew {Trade8cantla zehrlna)^ ground ivy {Nepeta glecJioma)^ 

 and geranium, the last being least affected. It was noticed that the 

 larvae fed chiefly upon the terminal leaves, and, for the most part, on 

 the under surface. They were surrounded usually by a slight silken 

 web, and where two leaves were in contiguity they were often fastened 

 together with the silk, and sometimes a single leaf would be folded. 

 Unfortunately, observations were not carried on as intended, owing to 

 the fact that the exhibitors having charge of the conservatoiy evidently 

 became suspicious of the frequent visits of a "Government official," 

 and, no doubt, fearing that publicity might be given of the facts in 

 the case, kept a sharp lookout for insects of every kind, and destroyed 

 every insect in sight. Mention is made of this fact because it resulted 

 in a test of a good but somewhat tedious remedy. August 7 only a 

 single moth could be found and no larvffi. Soon after the writer's first 

 visit in July the attendants trimmed the infested plants and they were 

 afterwards trimmed as often as the larvie showed themselves. As 

 already stated, the larvae affect more especially the terminal leaves of 



