82 
THe SmEareD DaGcErR. 
(Apatela oblinita, Sm. & Abb.) 
Order Lermorrera. Family Nocruip. 
[Plate VI, Fig. 3.] 
The larva of this species is a caterpillar covered with red bristles 
proceeding from crimson warts, with a bright yellow band along the 
sides. It has never been reported as especially injurious, but feeds 
on the strawberry, together with a number of other plants. 
LITERATURE. 
It was originally described in Smith and Abbott’s- “Rarer Lepi- 
dopterous Insects of Georgia,” in 1797, and reported to feed on the 
cotton and willow. In the American Entomologist for 1870, (p. 275,) 
Prof. Riley noted its injuries to the grape, and its occurrence on a 
great variety of plants, especially the common smart-weed (Poly- 
gonum hydropiper). In his report as State Entomologist of Missouri 
for that year* he described and figured imago, larva and pupa, and 
gave an outline Of the life history of the species, as far as known, 
and descriptions of three of its parasites. He further said that it 
eats cotton and asparagus, has been very numerous on peach trees, 
and sometimes denudes both the apple and the willow. 
It was first mentioned as a strawberry insect by Mr. Wilham 
Saunders, in the Third Report of the Ontario Entomological Society, 
already frequently cited, and was also reported there to eat the rasp- 
berry and the Lombardy poplar. Its occurrence in large numbers in 
Pennsylvania upon smart-weed (Polygonum), is reported in the Pro- 
ceedings of the Philadelphia Academy for 1875, by Mr. Gentry, who 
also gives: some notes on its life history. 
A summary account of the species may be found in the Seventh 
Report from this office; some additional notes respecting its life 
history are given in the tenth volume of the Canadian Entomolo- 
gist (p. 66); a note of its abundance in New York around lights in 
the evening, was published in Vol. II of Psyche (p. 85); and it has 
also been described more or less fully by Prof. Perkins, by Prof. 
French, and by Mr. Coquillett,—by the last-named writer in the 
Tenth Report of the State Entomologist of Ilincis, where the hazel 
and corn are added to the list of its food plants. Prof. Riley’s de- 
scription from his third report leaves little to be desired. 
DESCRIPTION. 
“Tmago. (Plate VI, Fig. 3, ce]. Front wings oblong; apex more 
or less prolonged; posterior margin sometimes rounded, sometimes 
straight; color ash-gray, caused by numerous dark-brown atoms 
more or less suffused on a white ground, from which the ordinary 
* Third report, p. 70. 
