112 
The moth has a wing expanse of half an inch. Fore wings dull 
yellowish or greenish brown, varying much in color, with irregular 
lighter markings crossing the wings obliquely. Hind wings ashy 
brown. 
This is a peculiarly difficult insect to deal with. Coming ata 
time when it will not do to treat the plant with arsenical poisons, 
and working apparently beyond the reach of other topical applica- 
tions, it is difficult to contrive any treatment of it which will not 
involve a sacrifice of the crop, except the tedious and expensive 
mode of hand picking. It is possible that pyrethrum suspended in 
water would effect the purpose by penetrating the clusters of webbed 
leaves, but as I have not seen the species in Illinois, I have had 
no opportunity to experiment. I append, for the sake of accuracy 
of determination, the original description of the moth: 
“Palpi dull yellow, apical joint fuscous. Fore wings with a large, 
dark brown basal patch, varied with testaceous or yellowish. The 
central fascia is dark brown, varied with testaceous, and is sepa- 
rated from the basal fascia by a yellowish band, containing dull 
silvery scales, or a tarnished silvery band; exteriorly, the fascia 
throws off three more or less distinct, short, rounded projections, 
two near the middle of the wing, and the other at the inner margin, 
with a triangular patch exterior to the latter; from the costa, near 
the tip, is an oblique, dark brown band, varied with testaceous 
scales, to the hinder margin, beneath the middle, ‘The interspaces. 
between these markings are filled up with yellowish, somewhat silvery 
hued, or with dull, tarnished silvery hue. and the markings are 
edged with yellow. Costa with yellowish white streaks, with central 
dark brown streaks. Hind wings dark fuscous.” 
C. InsuRING THE FRUIT, RIPE OR UNRIPE. 
1. By eating away tts substance. 
a. A small yellow ant. 
THe Smart Yettow Ant (Solenopsis fugax, Latr.) 
Order Hymenoptera. Family Formicipm. 
This is a minute yellow ant, very abundant everywhere, and com- 
monly nesting under stones,* which was discovered last spring and 
summer to be the author of considerable mischief in the corn field, 
and also to eat holes in ripe strawberries. 
It belongs to the sub-family Myrmicina, which is characterized 
especially by the fact that the peduncle of the abdomen is composed 
of two nodes, instead of one, as in the larger and more abundant 
sub-family, Formicina. 
*Mr. Aug. Forel makes the interesting statement that this minute ant nests without 
danger Within the homes of larger hostile species, where it inhabits galleries so small 
that its enemies cannot follow it into its retreats. From these it sallies out to prey upon 
the young of its hosts, and perhaps also to fileh from their stores of food. It has likewise: 
the habit of protecting root-lice. It is not confined to these double nests, however, but 
forms its independent establishments. 
