PROCEEDINGS, 1915. 97 



The adult has a wing expanse of 32-35 mm. The ground color of the 

 fore wings is light brown with a slight tinge of red, and is transversed 

 by a darker median band. The hind wings are a uniform dingy grey, 

 crossed by a central light brown line. 



Besides injuring rhubarb, Hydroecia micacea has done considerable 

 damage to potatoes in gardens in the vicinity of Yarmouth, numerous 

 complaints having reached us from that district. The insect is of Euro- 

 pean origin, the only other American records having been made by Mr. 

 Arthur Gibson, one from Westport, N. S., where the larvae was found 

 boring in a corn stalk and one from Tramore, Ont., also in a corn stalk. 

 The adults of the moth have been captured at St. John, New Brunswick. 



In England it is known as the Potato Stalk Borer, as it seems to be 

 particularly injurious to that plant, especially in gardens. English writ- 

 ers mention various other plants upon which the larva is supposed to feed. 

 Miss Omerod mentions potatoes, dock and Equisetum; Buckler, Equise- 

 tum, Stainton, the roots of various Cyperaceae and Kappel and Kirby, 

 the roots of Glyderia spectabilis, etc. It is apparent, therefore, that the 

 insect is a pretty general feeder and the sudden outbreak in the rhubarb 

 should occasion no surprise. 



REFERENCES. 



Stainton, H. T, British Butterflies & Moths, Vol. I: 198 (1867) London. 

 Kirby & Kappel, Brit. & Eur. Butterflies & Moths, :125 (1882) London. 

 Buckler, Wm., Larvae of British Butterflies & Moths. Vol. IV.:51. Roy Soc; 



(1886-1901) London. 

 Tutt, J. W., The British Xoctuidae and their Varieties. Vol. I: 64-66. (11! -1-1892) 



London. 

 Meyerick, E. A. Handbook of British Lepidoptera, :119 (1895) London. 

 Omerod, G. A., The Potato Stem Borer (Hydroecia micacea Esp. Rep. Inj. Ins. 



(1898-1899) 

 Staudinger-Rebel, Cat. der Palaearctichen Lepidopteren, :186 (1901; Berlin. 

 Entomological Notes, Hydroecia micacea Esp. Jour. Bd. Agr. 1903; No. 4: 519. 



London. 

 Gibson, A., Hydroecia micacea Esp. in Canada. 39th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont.: 



45-51 1908; Guelph, Ont. 

 Hampson, G. F., Cat. Lepid. Phal. Vol. 9. : 43 C1910. London. 

 Grunberg, K., Die Susswasserfauna Deutschlands: 104-105. (1910) Jena. 

 Brittain, W. H., The Stalk Borer Hydroecia micacea Esp. Rept. X. 5. Sec'y for 



Agriculture, for 1914, :29 (1915; Halifax, N. 5. 



