THE LARGER CANNA LEAF-ROLLER. 7 



damage to French cannas and to Cdhidhim cscvlcntunh. In our rear- 

 ing- cages the butterflies liatched June 12 and August 20. 



The caterpiUars appear to affect only plants of the genus Canna, 

 when these are obtainable, and sometimes they are so abundant as to 

 do much damage, at times utterly destroying luxuriant plants. Dr. 

 H, G. Dyar, of the Bureau of Entomology, mentions a case in which 

 the larva^ were eating the leaves of canna in the grounds of a hotel 

 at Miami, Fla., considerably injuring the aii])earance of the plants. 



LIFf: IIISTOHV AND llAUnS. 



Eggs are laid singly and separately, sometimes in groups of from 

 five to seven, on the under surface of leaves. According to Miss 

 Helen King ^ they hatch in Texas in six days, while in Florida, 

 according to Wittfeld, they may hatch in four days. 



On hatching, the caterpillar, as is common witli many species, de- 

 vours a portion of its eggshell, whereupon, after feeding lightly on a 

 leaf, it folds the latter over and confines it in place with a few stitches 

 of silk, enlarging its retreat as it develops. From the tubular case 

 thus formed it feeds along the edges and retreats within when dis- 

 turbed. It is careful to eject all excreta and exuvia^, but in spite of 

 its cleanliness the caterpillar is frequently attacked by disease. 



Dr. Dyar - has ascertained that there are customarily five stages 

 of this larva. The larva, when full grown, develops to a pupa in its 

 resting place. " held by a transverse loop and a band of silk for the 

 cremaster. * * * The cremasterial band is attached at one end to 

 the leaf; at the other to the transverse thread." This accurately de- 

 scribes the pupal case as observed in specimens received at this office. 



According to data accumulated by Scudder, the l:)utterfly is on the 

 wing in southern Florida in May, and from eggs laid in the middle 

 of the month the butterflies reappear in the first half of June. In 

 South Carolina the season is a little later, and there mature cater- 

 pillars have been observed before the middle of June and fresh but- 

 terflies from the 12th of the month to the end. Scudder concludes 

 that there are tAvo generations before midsummer. Judging by 

 recent experience there are likely to be two more generations l)efore 

 cold weather, but we do not know how the Avinter is passed. The 

 moths from one of these generations appear in the latter part of 

 September. 



Of the butterfly Angus has stated that he was attracted to an indi- 

 vidual, which he captured near Xew York City, "by the peculiarity 

 of its movements on the wing; they Avere very undulating, like those 

 of gnats, as they rose and fell almost ])erpendicularly and in a very 

 easy manner."' AVittfeld adds that one of tlie favorite times for 



1 Psyche. Vol. TTI. pp. :V22-n24, 1SS2. 



- Entoniolo<;irjU Xcws. vol. S, i)p. ir,:!-i(;r>, I.SOS. 



