136 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF 



is affected with what Prof. Turner, of Jacksonville, Illinois, designates 

 as the "American Grape rot," the grape attacked by the Codling are 

 not so easily distinguished, as they bear a close resemblance to the 

 rotting ones. Care should be taken in gathering the infested grapes 

 for the worm being very active wriggles away and easily escapes. 



THE EIGHT-SPOTTED FORESTER, Alypia octomaculata, Fabr. 

 PI. 1, Figs. 18 and 19. 



(Lepidoptera, Zygsenidse.) 



At Plate 1, Figure 19, is represented a caterpillar which has been 

 sent to me by several correspondents with the statement that it was 

 found on their grape vines, and during the month of May, I found the 

 same caterpillar on the vines of Mr. T. R. Skinner, of Cheltenham, 

 and of Mr. Peabody, of Sulphur Springs. It grows to the length of 

 li inches, and is transversely striped with bluish-white and black, 

 about! wdiite and 4.black lines on each segment, with two small black 

 spots in the middle light band on the back. The head and a shield 

 on the first segment are shiny gamboge-yellow, with black dots, and 

 on the 11th segment there is an orange elevation, not shiny and with 

 two black spots in it. From similar caterpillars, which w T ere taken from 

 grape vines in 1SG5 I bred in the spring oi 1SGG the moth figured at 

 Plate 1, Figure 18, known as the Eight Spotted Forester {Alypia 

 octomaculata, Fabr.) It is recognized at once by its conspicuous 

 markings, being of a black color with orange shanks, each of the fore 

 wings with two large light yellow spots and each of the hind wings 

 with two white spots. The caterpillars leave the vines during the 

 month of June, and descend into the earth where they form for them- 

 selves slight cocoons of earth in which they remain through the 

 winter and from which the moth escapes the following April. 



It is not probable that this caterpillar which may be called the 

 Blue Caterpillar of the vine, will ever become exceedingly numerous, 

 for it has not been known to become so in the past, and this hasty 

 sketch of its history is given principally for the gratification of the 

 intelligent grape-grower who takes pleasure in thoroughly understand- 

 ing and knowing, in all their different guises, the creatures he has to 

 deal with. 



There are two other caterpillars very much resembling this, which 

 also feed on the vine ; but they produce very different looking moths, 

 the one known as Eudryas grata, Fabr., and the other as Eudryas 

 unio, Hiibner. Dr. Fitch in his 3d Report §123 states that the larva 

 of K. grata differs only from that of A. octomaculata in lacking a 

 while spot on each side of every segment, and in being slightly 

 humped at its hind end. The specimen from which my figure was 



