172 



Tho larva is not conspicuously stri|)0(l. It is dull ^rocnish gray, 

 si)i"iiikl('(j with (lai'k brown above, the subdorsal and lateral areas lighter 

 and IVeer from dots. There is a faint, clear whitish dorsal line, and 

 sometimes another each side above the sjiiracles. There is a l^rown 

 ]xitch at^ the base of each abdominal leg. The head is like the body 

 in coloi', with two brown slreaks. Tlu^ piliferous spots are small. The 



pupa is formed without a cocoon, 

 ' ] „ both in the ground and under dry 



■""' '■'''!' grass on its surface. 

 ^ _J The adults (Fig. 164) are about 



•-•■^:'' ■: ■" ;j[; the s'vm) of the army-worm moth, 



[ ■'" but tlu» ground color is cold gray 



rather than brownish. In the army- 

 worm there is a distinct blackish line 



Fio. 164. Leucania pseudargj/ria. Slif;ht- i r r ii j. i i- ai 



ly euimfied. Icaduig troui the outer edge ot the 



for(; wing; jiist behind its apex, 

 diagonally inward to a vai'ial)ly distinct curved row of blackish dots 

 crossing the wing, and exactly in line with this row, back of the 

 meeting-point. In the present species this row of dots is straighter 

 and a (^uite conspicuous leature, and the black line is re])resented only 

 by a small isolated blackish cloud between it and the margin. TluM-e 

 is also a zigzag dark line; across the wing at its basal third, nearly or 

 cjuite absent in the army-worm moth. Th(> moth is seldom seen at 

 lights, but is common on sugary mixtures spread on trees as baits. The 

 males are uniformly larger than the feniaUs. 



All the recorded larvic were taken in early spring, having evidently 

 spent the winter in this condition. They pupated in March or April, 

 in one case without taking food, and, after a ])upal life of tw'enty-seven 

 days in two cases, emerged .Apiil IS and .May 20. Moths are recorded 

 from this time on until September 18, sparsely in May, June, and the 

 early part of July, more abundantly in the remainder of July and in 

 August, sparsely in September. The August and September data are 

 mostly in our own records for central Illinois. The species is ])r()bal)ly 

 double-brooded, Ihc moths appearing in .April and !\ray ]iroducing a 

 brood of larva' in June and July, of which w(> have no record, these 

 changing to moths in later July, August, and September, from which 

 come in fall the hibernating brood of larva), lieutenmiiller says that 

 there are two or three broods. 



