54 
THE CROSS-STRIPED CABBAGE WORM. 
(Pionea rimosalis Guen. ) * 
This destructive enemy of cabbage and other cruciferous crops, 
after an apparently complete absence from the neighborhood of the 
District of Columbia in 1899 made its appearance in great numbers 
in May and June of 1900 in different fields of cabbage at Brookland, 
D. C., and was found later in most gardens in which cabbages were 
grown in near-by localities in the neighboring States of Maryland 
and Virginia. In nearly every case that came under notice that year 
the species was much more abundant on cabbage than the larva of the 
common imported cabbage butterfly (%eris rape), and it was noticed 
that although it works in much the same manner as this latter species, 
it dug still more deeply into the heads, and in many cases completely 
destroyed cabbage by eating out the hearts while young and tender. 
The insect continued to be the most destructive cabbage pest in this 
vicinity until late August, when it was replaced by the cabbage looper, 
and in some restricted localities and on other plants than cabbage— 
horse-radish, for example—by the harlequin cabbage bug. 
This species first became known as an enemy of cruciferous crops 
over twenty years prior to the date of writing, but since that time has 
not attracted the attention that would seem to be warranted by its man- 
ner of attack. For some reason it does not seem to have multiplied 
to any great extent during that time, except locally, until 1900. When 
conditions favor its increase there is no reason why it should not take 
rank as one of the foremost cabbage pests. 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
The moth is pale ocher yellow in color, the fore-wings much suffused 
with fuscous and brownish black, the pattern formed being about as 
shown in fig. 12, a, subject to some variation. The hind-wings are 
paler, nearly transparent except at the anterior angle, where they are 
infuscated. There is also a row of five or six small, dusky spots 
between the middle of each hind-wing and the inner border. The 
wing expanse is about 1 inch (25), and the length of the body less 
than half an inch (10™"), 
The eggs (fig. 12, 6) are laid in masses, and, being flattened and over- 
lapping like the scales of a fish, strongly resemble the masses deposited 
by Tortricide. The outline of an individual egg is rounded oval, 
the longest diameter being 1.2"" and the shortest diameter 0.9 to 
1.0". The egesare rather bright light yellow in color, and so thin that 
the green of the leaf on which they are deposited can be seen through 
“This species has been restored to the genus Evergestis by Sir G. F. Hampson 
(Rev. Pyraustidae, Pt. II, Pr. Z S. Lond., p. 186, 1899), and the genus Pionea is 
reserved for other species. 
