THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 179 



THE CHICKWEED GEOMETER, Hcematopis grataria, Fabr.— PI. 2, 

 Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21. 



(Lepidoptera Geometridae.) 



At Plate 2, Figure 18, 1 have figured a very common little moth 

 which may be seen flitting over our meadows and in our gardens 

 during the summer and fall months. It is of a delicate orange color, 

 marked with pink, as in the figure. A number of persons have desired 

 to know whether or not it was injurious, and what its larva fed on, 

 and, as its transformations have been hitherto unknown, I will briefly 

 record them. 



The female moths deposit their eggs in rows of about twenty, along 

 the edge of a leaf, or along the stem of the common chickweed (Stel- 

 laria media.) These eggs (see PL 2, Fig. 21) are not quite 0.02 of an 

 nch long and are oval, flattened and depressed near the centre. 

 When first laid they are yellowish-white, but change within two days 

 to a very bright, shiny, red color, between Venetian and vermillion. 

 These eggs hatch in a very short time, frequently within a week, into 

 thread-like worms, with ten legs only and with the habit of looping 

 themselves into all manner of shapes, especially into a circle. In 

 about a month, during hot weather, they acquire their full size, when 

 they are of the form and appearance of Plate 2, Figure 19. They are 

 quite variable in color, being either gray, yellowish-green, or dark 

 brown. They change to chrysalids within a slight web attached to 

 the leaves of their food-plant, and in this state they bear the appear- 

 ance of Plate 2, Figure 20, the skin being so thin that before the moth 

 escapes the colors of the wings show distinctly through it. There 

 are several broods during the year, and the insect may often be found 

 in all its different states at one and the same time. It probably passes 

 the winter in either the larva or egg state, for I have taken both 

 eggs and half grown larvas in the beginning of November. In 

 the larva and chrysalis state it is not easily detected, on account of its 

 small size and of its assimilating the color of the food-plant. The 

 larva has furthermore the habit of jerking itself away to a consider- 

 able distance when disturbed, especially while it is young. 



H^ematopis grataria, Fabr. — Larva — Average length 0.85. Color quite variable ; either 

 pale yellowish-green, deep rufous with an orange tint, or of a mixture of gray and cream-color. 

 Minutely punctate all over. Segments 1, 2 and 3, extremely short ; 4, longest and widest, having 

 two wrinkles each side, with a dark depression between them ; 5, 6, 7 and 8, of equal length ; 9, 10 

 and 11, short, the two former also somewhat wider than the other. Dorsum dark, with a lighter 

 middle line, and a light, somewhat irregular subdorsal line which converges anteriorly and diverges 

 posteriorly of each segment; two dark spots anteriorly each side of the middle line. Sides more 

 or less wrinkled, lighter than dorsum and with a light longitudinal ridge below. Venter variegated 

 with longitudinal marks, and shaded outwardly with deep olive-green in strong contrast with the 

 lateral light ridge. Stigmata minute, black, and placed on an oval swelling at the anterior portion 

 of the segment. Head of the same color as body, with a dark line, edged each side with white, con- 

 tinuing from the thoracie segments. 



Chrysalis.— (Plate 2, Fig. 20.) Length, 0.50. Wing sheaths and tip of abdomen pale buff, 

 the middle of the abdomen very light yellowish-green. A purplish dorsal line. Obliquely truncated 

 at the head, having a somewhat triangular appearance, the ventral angle being lengthened into a 

 slightly bifurcate snout. Anal segments quite attenuated, the extremity being also slightly bifur- 

 cated. Stigmata small, black and distinct. 



