10 



wliicli it hides, protruding its liead at tlie ends of tlie tidx' to tVcd 

 upon the leaf; eventually its "retreat" becomes reduced by being 

 eaten at the ends, and another leaf has to l)e taken,' and so on, 

 till tlie larva reaches its growth. Often a larva fastens several 

 leaves togetlier confusedly for a retreat, instead of rolling ui) 

 just one. 



On sugar cane the very young larvae feed in the crown of the 

 plant where the young leaves have not yet unrolled. Tliey are 

 thus protected between the natural rolls of the leaf; later on they 

 roll over the margin of a leaf forming a tube for theii" "retreat." 

 When nearly full grown, they arc usually found in tubes towards 

 the tip of the upper leaves. These tulics are easil}' observed if th<' 

 ragged leaves where the larvae have fed, are examined. TIk 

 work of the smaller larvae shows as oval or elongate dead spots 

 on leaves which have unrolled in the growing of the cane aft( r 

 the y(/Ung lai'vae have fed ui)on them. 



When disturbed in its retreat, as by its being torn open, or 

 violently shaken, or jarred, the larva wriggles very lively and 

 drops to the ground for escape. This habit is i)robably to escape 

 from parasites, manj' of which prey upon them. The retreat 

 which it c()nstructs, is undoubtedly for the same i)uri)(is(% as well 

 as for pi'otection from wasps tind birds wbicli prey upon. 



The caterpillars are full-grown in about o weeks from 

 hatching. They niolt o times at intervals of al)OUt 'A to ."> days, 

 and ■") to 7 days between the oth molt and the spinning of the 

 cocoon and pupation. Pupation takes place within a slight 

 cocoon of white silk in the "retreat" wher(^ the cateri)illai- has 

 live(l; however, the cocoon is sometimes made beneath the leaf- 

 sheaths of cane, and in othe favorable places. 



Pupa.— (Plate 1, lig. (i). [>ength 12-14 mm., width alxiut 

 •i.onnn.; light brown, head darker; delicate hairs disti-iluited as 

 in the larva; cremaster somewhat Hattened, blunt-pointed, with 

 a cluster of 8 hooked spines fastened into the cocoon; spiracles 

 slightly raised; wing-cases extending to the middle of the fourth 

 abdonnnal segment, antenna- and leg-cases extending to alxiut the 

 middle of the sixth segment, free l)eyon(l the fourth segment. 



The [)ui)al pei'iod is S to 1.'*) days, usually about 10 days. 



