Some Lepidopterous Pests New to Sugar Cane in Queensland. 15 
ANTHELA ACUTA Walker (Family LIPARID.®). 
(Figure 5.) 
This is one of the so-called ‘‘Tussock,’’ ‘‘Brown-Tails,’’ or 
‘*Vapourer’’ moths, some of which are pre-eminently destructive to the 
foliage of shade trees, and under favouring conditions, as in the case 
of the notorious ‘‘Gypsy Moth,’’ may cause immense financial losses. 
The genus Anthela (formerly Darala) happens to be peculiar to 
Australia, and according to Froggatt about thirty species have been 
described. Specimens of acuta were first noticed at Deeral, North 
Queensland, during April 1917, feeding on cane-leaves, being reported 
to be not uncommon in such situations. Its caterpillar is of the typical 
‘“wooly-bear’’ appearance, about 3 in. in length, dark-brown, and densely 
clothed with long, hair-like bristles. The perfect insect (bred from a 
larva sent to the writer) varies somewhat in colouration, soft shades of 
grey predominating, suffused on body and basal areas of wings with 
fawn colour. The central areas are crossed by an oblique band of 
greenish grey bounded by a darker line, and abruptly serrated on outer 
border. The female moth measures about 3 in. across the fully expanded 
wings. 
OPHIUSA MELICERTE Drury (Family NOCTUID4~®). 
(Figure 6.) 
Synonymy—<A chea catella Guen. 
Calecala traversii Fereday. 
Noctua tigrina Fabr. 
There seems little doubt, from evidence available, that this noectuid 
deserves to be classed among our minor pests of sugar-cane. 
Although the larve have not yet been observed here in the field 
damaging stools, the moth is not uncommon at certain seasons, flying 
about plantations of young cane; while during 1914 Mr. A. P. Dodd 
(Assistant Entomologist) found several pupwe of melicerte in such 
situations at Gordonvale attached to cane-leaves. 
The foregoing evidence, coupled with the fact of this insect having 
already been recorded from India as a cane-pest, appears sufficiently 
conclusive to warrant the following brief description by Hampson of 
its caterpillar stage:—‘‘Larva: Bluish grey speckled with blue-black ; 
lateral and sub-lateral yellowish bands with intervening blue-grey lines; 
a dorsal black stripe bordered by reddish-white spots between 4th and 
5th somites; a pair of dorsal red tubercles on anal somite; spiracles and 
fore-legs red; the head black-striped.”’ 
Imago. 
Both larval and imago stages of this moth are subject to variation 
in size and colouration. A brief description, taken from specimens bred 
at Gordonvale, will help growers to recognise the species :—Fore-wing 
pale reddish-brown, darker on basal and outer areas. Hind-wing 
_ brownish-black, basal area lighter, an oblique band across middle of 
