PACKARD.] THE ZEBRA CATERPILLAR 753 



with a small oval spot and a somewhat U-shaped silvery-white mark, 

 as in the figure. The male is easily distinguished from the female by a 

 large tnft of golden hairs, covering a few black ones, which springs from 

 each side of his abdomen toward the tip. 



"The suggestions given for destroying the larvae of the cabbage-butter- 

 flies apply equally well to those of this cabbage plusia, and drenchings 

 with a cresylic wash will be found even more effectual, as the worms 

 drop to the ground with the slightest jar." 



The Zebha Caterpillar, Mamestra picta Harris. — Feeding on tlje leaves of turnips 

 and cabbages, and other garden vegetables ; a long, cylindrical caterpillar with a red 

 head, with a broad band along the side, composed of numerous transverse, short, black 

 lines, like Runic characters upon a white ground, changing to a reddish-brown dark 

 moth. 



While this pretty caterpillar, than which none are more curiously and 

 gaily decked, is ordinarily harmless, feeding indiscriminately on differ- 

 ent vegetables, it has been twice found in Massachusetts, within my own 

 knowledge, to be extremely destructive to the ruta-baga turnip, nearly 

 destroying entire beds. In the summer of 1876, up to the middle of 

 September, it was very abuudaut and eat off the tops of a good many 

 ruta-bagas on the farm of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, at 

 Amherst, Mass. I am also told that it sometimes attacks the roots. 

 Harris says that it " is often found to be injurious to cabbages, cauli- 

 flowers, spinach, beets, and other garden vegetables with succulent 

 leaves." In the New England States the caterpillars are usually seen 

 in August and September. Harris remarks that early in October it 

 leaves off eating, goes into the ground, changes to a shining-brown 

 chrysalis, and is transformed to a moth about the first of June. It is 

 probable that there are two broods of this kind of caterpillar every sum- 

 mer in some, if not all, parts of this country ; for Dr. Melsheimer informs 

 me that it appears in Pennsylvania in June, goes into the ground, and 

 is changed to a chrysalis toward the end of June or the beginning of 

 July, and comes forth in the moth state near the end of August." In 

 Missouri, according to Riley, early in June the young worms, which are 

 first almost black, though they soon become pale and green, may be found 

 in dense clusters on these plants, for they are at that time gregarious. 

 As they grow older they disperse and are not so easily found, and in about 

 four weeks from the time of hatching they come to their full growth. 



* * * * It changes to chrysalis within a rude cocoon, formed just 

 under the surface of the ground by interweaving a few grains of sand, 

 or a few particles of whatever soil it happens on, with silken threads. 



# # * * There are two broods of this insect each year, the sec- 

 ond brood of worms appearing in the latitude of Saint Louis from the 

 middle of August along into October, and in all probability passing the 

 winter in the chrysalis state, though a few may issue in the fall and 

 hibernate as moths, or may even hibernate as worms; for Mr. J. H. Par- 

 sons, of New York, found that some of the worms which were on his 

 ruta-baga leaves stood a frost hard enough to freeze potatoes in the hill 

 without being killed. I have noticed that the spring brood confines it- 

 self more especially to young cruciferous plants, such as cabbages, beets, 

 spinach, etc., but have found the fall brood collecting in hundreds on 

 the heads and flower-buds of asters, on the white berry or snow-berry 

 {Symphoricarpus racemosus), on different kinds of honeysuckle, on mig- 

 nonette, and on asparagus ; they are also said to occur on the flowers 

 of clover, and are quite partial to the common lamb's quarter or goose- 

 foot {Chenopodium album). On account of their gregarious habit when 

 young, they are very easily destroyed at this stage of growth. 



48 GS 



