Vol XXxl ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS I93 



From May until October 15 there, were five fairly well mark- 

 ed generations, although from August on to the end of the 

 season all sizes from very young to mature caterpillars could 

 be found. 



About November i I first observed dead caterpillars on weed 

 stems. The living caterpillars would clasp the weed, usually 

 as high as they could climb, and die, then swell up and exude 

 a substance which clung to the hairs, giving the dead caterpil- 

 lars a gray appearance. They would dry and remain clinging* 

 to the weed stems until knocked oiT. On November 5 I count- 

 ed 701 caterpillars in three different directions from the town 

 of Victoria, 662 dead and 39 still alive. 



Between October 26 and November 10 I put 100 mature 

 caterpillars in cages in groups, to carry them through the win- 

 ter. I have three cocoons from the lot. The balance died of 

 this disease, which has been determined by Doctor Speare as 

 Entomophthora anticae Reich. 



The caterpillars spin cocoons under trash, dead leaves or 

 clods of earth, frequently in a bunch of twenty to thirty at- 

 tached to each other. 



When the moths emerge they climb up the weed stems to 

 stretch and dry their wings. They usually emerge in the night 

 and I have observed them mating in cages the next day and 

 laying their eggs during the second night and third day. The 

 moths are averse to flying in the daytime and when disturbed 

 stretch their wings straight up, curve the abdomen downward 

 and remain rigid; occasionally one, when thrown high in the 

 air, will use its wings in coming back to the earth, but usually 

 they fall to the earth without an effort to fly. I believe the 

 males fly at night when seeking a mate. I have never observed 

 a moth feeding in the field and I have never had one to feed in 

 captivity, although I have tried them with flowers, fruits and 

 sweets. The usual length of life of captive moths is about 

 five days. 



Reports from Jackson and Calhoun Counties indicate that all 

 of the last generation caterpillars are black, and practically all 

 of the caterpillars are dying clinging to the weed stems. 



