OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



87 



One fact, which is not now intorpretable, but may liave a sirrnificance in future, 

 I feel constrained to record in this connection, [t is that, in examining rnstatrix, I 

 have occasionally met with degraded $'s {„. form of radicieola) in which the abdomen, 

 instead of containing numerous small ova, was well-nigh filled with a single much 

 larger eg^. Every observed fact leads to others yet unknown and unsuspected ; and 

 the fall history of Phylloxera has yet to be written I 



THE BLUE CATERPILLARS OF THE VINE. 



Having treated, disconnectedly, in my first three Reports of cer- 

 tain caterpillars, with zebra-like markings, which depredate on the 

 Grape-vine, and which, from their bluish general appearance, are pop- 

 ularly designated "■ blue-caterpillars," it will be well to bring them 

 together in one article, illustrating their distinguishing characteris- 

 tics, and correcting all previous error or confusion. This is the more 

 necessary, as our ability to counterwork their injuries depends some- 

 what on our being able to distinguish between them. 



There are four distinct species of moths, whose larvpe, in form and 

 marking, all bear a striking resemblance to each other ; three of 

 which, and perhaps all four, feed on the Vine. We have — 



I. THE GRAI'E-VINE EPIMENIS— Ps?/c/io?ftor/iAa eplnmiis, Drury. 

 (Ord. Lepidoptera; Fam. Zygj;nid.e.) 



This is a half-looper 

 when young. It works 

 mostly in the spring 

 in the terminal buds, 



dill , I'SV( IIOMOlii'HA EPIME- 



rawing the leaves to- Ms:-Maiem..th. 



PSYCHOMOHPIIA EI'IMENIS: — fl, lilVV:! : b 



largwl iohit, side view; c, eiihvrged _i.i i n i -n ,1 -i 



humpo'iijoiiit]!. gether by a lew weak silken threads 



It always lives hidden within a sort of hollow ball made of leaves thus 

 drawn together. It quits feeding by the end of May ; bores into wood 

 or other sufficiently soft substance at hand, neatly covering up its 

 retreat ; remains hidden as a chrysalis till the next spring, when it 

 issues as a moth (Fig. 21), of a velvety-black color, conspicuously 

 marked with white and brick-red. It is distinguished by having only 

 four transverse black stripes to each joint, the intermediate space 

 white (Fig. 20.) I have found it much move common than the others 

 in St. Louis county. On the authority ot Mr. Abbot, this species feeds 

 also on the wild Trumpet Creeper {Bignonio radicans). For the 

 entomological reader, I repeat, with little alteration, the description, 

 already published : 



