jouknal of entomology and zoology 243 



Life History 



Little Is known about the life history except In a very general 

 way. The appearance of the moths In the spring and early sum- 

 mer suggests that the winter Is passed In the pupal stage. The fact 

 that pupas are also found In the soil about the bases of the food 

 plants late In the summer also suggests this. The eggs are laid In 

 the late spring and early summer and may be found as late as July. 

 They hatch In a few days, usually within a week, and the young 

 grow very rapidly. Moths of the first brood emerged In July and 

 Immediately laid eggs, which hatched within a week, indicating a 

 second fall brood, the pupae of which probably pass the winter. 

 The larvae feed upon the blades of the food plant and mature in 

 from 4 to 6 weeks. 



Distribution 

 This species occurs. In the coast region from San Francisco Bay 

 to the southern part of the state. It was first taken on Mt. Tamal- 

 pais. All of the specimens studied by the writer were taken at 

 Ventura. The distribution probably conforms to the distribution 

 of the food plant. 



Food Plant 

 The native and only observed food plant is the California wild 

 rye (Elyviiis condensatus Presl.). The caterpillars feed upon the 

 leaves.^ 



Natural Enemies 



The caterpillars are effectively parasitized by a hymenopterous 

 parasite determined by Mr. H. L. VIereck as a new species of 

 Protapanteles. The larvae of the parasite spin small dark gray 

 cocoons on the body of the caterpillars or on a nearby leaf or stem 

 (Fig. 5). They often emerge from the dead caterpillars in great 

 numbers and were reared In confinement from about 95% of the 

 caterpillars. The parasite is attacked by a hyperparasite {Hemi- 

 teles sp.) determined and listed as new by Mr. VIereck. 



A large Chalcis sp. was reared from a pupa. 



2. The larvae of a noctuid moth also feed on the same food plant at Ventura, 

 They burrow into the centers of the stems in which they feed and remain until ready 

 to pupate. They are much more destructive to the host than is the brown Ctenucha. 



