Notes on Insects Damaging Sugar Cane in Queensland. 23 



Like other closely related species, the larva feeds under cover, 

 drawing together the edges of a leaf-blade in such manner as to form 

 an almost cylindrical tube in which it is effectually hidden, and com- 

 paratively safe from the attacks of birds and other foes. 



Description of Caterpillar. 

 General colour, pale sea-green, with three faint but darker green 

 dorsal stripes, the subdorsal ones edged below with light yellow. Anal 

 segment pale bluish-green, extremity of dorsal portion semi-circular and 

 edged with white hairs. 



Head green with a conspicuous reddish-brown oblique stripe across 

 centre of eye bordered on each edge with w^hitish. Sides of body whitish 

 just below spiracles. Mandibles white with cutting edge straight, 

 bordered with black, and not toothed. Length, 36 mm. (about 1% 

 inches). 



Before pupating the larva forms an elongate, open, boat-like cavity 

 by bending upwards in the shape of a quarter circle opposite edges of 

 a leaf-blade, holding same in that position by two or more tough strands 

 made of many thicknesses of silk twisted together. These cords, which 

 bridge the hollow transversely, are generally placed about 1 inch apart, 

 and attached to the edges of the leaf. Transformation takes place in 

 the hollow thus formed, the pupa lying fully exposed to view just below 

 the silken strands, with tail-end affixed by anal hooks to a mass of 

 threads and its body secured to the surface by a strong silk girdle 

 crossing the centre of dorsal surface of thorax obliquely, and fastened 

 to the leaf on either side. 



Description of Pupa. 

 Pale whitish-green, matching the foliage, suffused with delicate 

 pinkish-white at extremities, and with four faint white longitudinal 

 dorsal lines on abdominal segments. Front of head produced into an 

 elongate conical point. End of anal segment flattened, plate-like, 

 hollowed ventrally, and rounded at extremity. Length, 30 mm. (about 

 1% inches). The pupal stage occupies eleven days under an average 

 shade temperature of 81-50 F. 



Notes on Imago. 

 This comomn hesperid has a wide range of flight, extending from 

 Port Darwin to Brisbane, and occurs also on sugar-cane in other countries. 



The butterfly is of a uniform dark smoky-brown tint, with body 

 and basal half of upper wing surface densely covered with long glossy 

 yellow hairs. The arrangement of spots on fore-wings is shown on 

 Plate III., Fig. 20 ; and the hind-wings, which are characterised by a 

 slight prolongation of their rounded anal angles, are greenish-yellow 



