376 REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



of Carlowville, Ala., says that a number of years ago he saw a large green larva de- 

 vouring numbers of cotton caterpillars. From what we know of the habits of the boll- 

 worm (Hcliothis armigera), it seems not at all unlikely that these larvae may have be- 

 longed to that species. 



Several bugs (Ilemiptera) were seen to kill the cotton-worm. Early in the season 

 great numbers of a large, ill-smelling bug with dilated hind legs (Acanihocephala fcmo- 

 rata) were seen in the weeds and shrubbery about the borders of cotton-tields, being 

 very noticeable on account of its buzzing flight. After Aletia appeared in numbers, 

 fewer of these bugs were seen, but they were several times seen to catch caterpillars 

 and suck the juices of their bodies. At different times through the summer, another 

 bug (Anna spinosa) was seen to kill these larvae, as also was another (Sinea multi- 

 tyiuosa) which occurs in considerable numbers about cotton. 



These are all of the insects that I found preying upon the cotton caterpillar, or that 

 I have reason, from my own observations, to think prey upon it ; but my friend Mr. 

 John Wilkins, of Selma, Ala., tells me that in the canebrake he has once seen the com- 

 mon green mantis (Mantis Carolina) leap upon these larvae on plants near the borders 

 of cotton-fields, but these insects do not venture far from the bushes around the field, 



Owing to its tough integument, the pupa of Aletia seems to be freer from insect at- 

 tack than the larva is, yet even its hard skin does not always save it. About the mid- 

 dle of August I first noticed what appeared to be an anomalous preparation for pupa- 

 tion in the boll-worm (Heliothis armigera), for I found several full-grown larvae of this 

 species with leaves closely webbed around them, precisely as Aletia webs up before 

 changing to a pupa. An examination of one of these leaves, however, showed me that 

 the boll worms had not webbed them about themselves, but had insinuated themselves 

 into leaves folded and preoccupied by Aletia, the latter having already passed into the 

 pupa state ; and they had done this for the express purpose of feeding on these pupae. 

 Many cases of this sort were seen. 



In the latter part of July several Aletias, just about to pupate, were taken from the 

 swamp where they were found, and with leaves still webbed about them they were 

 transferred to cotton on dry soil near the house, where they were tied by their leaves 

 to the petioles of this cotton, my object in placing them there being to determine the 

 length of the pupa state. The same day they shed their last larva skins, and this left 

 them in an almost defenseless condition till the pupa skin should become firm and 

 tough. About twenty-four hours after this moult they were again visited, and were 

 found covered with red ants, which had killed and partly eaten them all, though they 

 were on different plants, and care was taken to see that there were no ants on the cotton 

 when the larvae were placed there. 



Many specimens of a red bug of all ages have been seen about the pupae of Aletia, 

 and they were often found within the loose cocoons of these pupae ; and, though they 

 were not seen to molest them, their presence looks suspicious. 



But one insect was found killing the imago or moth of Aletia, viz, a two-winged fly 

 (Asilus sericcus), which is very abundant about cotton-tields and was several times seen 

 to catch the moths on the wing, afterwards eating them. 



Early in September, while watching these moths as they fed on rotting figs, I saw 

 many white-faced hornets ( Vcspa tnaculata) about the fig trees. One of these hornets 

 was seen to catch a two-winged fly nearly as large as itself. After killing it, the hor- 

 net proceeded to deprive the fly of its legs and wings, which were allowed to fall to 

 the ground. The fly was then carried away. Under these same trees I found the 

 wings of Aletia moths, and it looks from this as though these moths are sometimes 

 killed by the hornet ; still, I never saw a hornet in the act of killing a moth, or with 

 the dead body of one, and am aware that their usual food is flies. 



By no means the least important enemies of any insect are its parasites, and these 

 deserve careful attention in the present case. But to properly breed large numbers of 

 pupae for their parasites facilities are needed which could not well be obtained on a 

 plantation, so that the determination of the percentage of parasitized pupae and 

 the. parasitic species was left to the department, a sufficient number of pupae for that 

 purpose being forwarded to Washington. For some few observations made on the eggs 

 of two parasites probably dipterous I would refer to my letters of July 24 and Au- 

 gust 5. Two or three species of ichneumon flies were seen about cotton-plants, but as 

 they were all watched to see if they would oviposit in Aletia, none were captured, 

 and they were, therefore, not identified. None of them were seen to molest the cater- 

 pillar. 



After caterpillars had died from eating some of the poisons used for their destruc- 

 tion, the following animals were seen to eat them : 1. Chickens, and these sometimes 

 eat so many as to die from the effects of the poison. 2. Ants of several species. Though 

 I have never seen any of these little insects killed by being poisoned in this way, I 

 think that this is often the case, for I have seen many of them eating the dead cater- 

 pillars. 13. Aphis-lions were several times found sucking the juices of caterpillars that 

 had died of poison. 



(The whole section of Mr. Trelease's report referring to remedies for the cotton- worm 

 was incorporated bodily into Chapter VII of Part I. J. H. C. 



