AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILT PHYCITINAE 



231 



Female genitalia with signum rather large, a single, 

 elongate, strongly sclerotized, pocketlike projection into 

 bursa; bursa copulatrix, except for signum, smooth. 



Type localities: Washington, D. C. {coceidivora, in 

 USNM) ; Sanford, Fla. (pallida, in USNM) ; Las Graces, 

 N. Mex. {hulstii, in AMNH, ex Rutgers); Arizona 

 (dilatifacsiella, in Paris Mus.). 



Food: Various Coccidae.'^ Specific records include 

 Pulvinaria vitis (L.) (originally identified as Lecanium 

 acericola ov Pulvinaria innumerabilis) , Pulvinaria amyg- 

 dali Ckll., Pulvinaria bigeloviae Ckll., Toumeyella 

 numismaticum (Ckll.), Toumeyella s^'p., Coccus hesperi- 

 dum L., Eriococcus quercus (Corns.), Saissetia oleae 

 (Bern.), Kermes spp., Lecaniodiaspis sp., Cerococcus 

 quercus Coms., Lecanium arizonensis King, Dactylopius 

 sp., Dactylopius conjusus Ckll., Neolecanium cornu- 

 parvum (Tho.), Dactylopius tormentosus (Lam.), Pseu- 

 dococcus sp. The larvae will also feed in flowers of 

 cactus (Platypuntia spp.) 



Distribution: District of Columbia (July); Virginia, 

 Falls Church (Aug.), Vienna (July); Maryland, Plum- 

 mers Isl. (Jime); Pennsylvania, Longhorne (Oct.), 

 RockvUle (Apr.); Ohio, Newark (Nov.); Florida, no 

 specific locality (May), Everglades (Apr.), Chokoloskee, 

 Miami (Feb.); Alabama, Mobile (June); Mississippi, 

 BUoxi (June); Louisiana, Baton Rouge (Aug., Nov.), 

 New Orleans; Texas, Sabinal (Mar.), Victoria (Feb.), 

 Brownsville (Jan., Feb., Apr.), Kerrville (Apr., May), 

 San Antonio (Oct.), Uvalde (May, Aug.), Sterling City 

 (Oct.), Dallas (Nov.), Corpus Christi (Feb.); New 

 Mexico, Mesilla Park (June), Hot Springs; Arizona, 

 Tucson (Jime, Nov.), Paradise (Mar., Sept., Oct.), 

 Redington, Palmerlee, Huachuca Mts., Wilgus Mts., 

 Baboquivari Mts. (July, Sept., Oct.); California, San 

 Bernardino (Nov.), San Diego (Oct.), Palm Springs, 

 no locaUty (Mar.). 



There is considerable variation in size in this species 

 and corresponding differences in the shape of the 

 flanged processes of the gnathos and the length of the 

 lateral arms of anellus, but nothing that would justify 

 separation into races; for the extremes of difference in 

 size and structure are present in the reared cotype series 

 from Washington, D. C. The name dilatifasciella ap- 

 plies to Arizona specimens which average larger than 

 those from eastern locahties and show some occasional 

 traces of ocherous shading on the lower half of forewing. 

 Here also there is no consistency which would justify 

 even a racial separation. The name has escaped 

 synonjrmy so far only because specimens identified to 

 it have been placed in the wrong genus. The larvae of 

 coceidivora like those of other species of LaetUia are 

 predaceous on the Coccidae. For obvious reasons they 

 do not attack the smaller hard-scaled species but other- 

 wise are not restricted, feeding on any of the larger 

 scales and mealy bugs that occur in colonies of sufficient 

 number to provide food. They seem to be fond of the 



" Dr. Harold Morrison was good enough to check the coccid 

 records in connection with rearings of L. coceidivora and has 

 supplied the names of coccids here given. 



cochineal scale on cactus and on this plant wiU occa- 

 sionally vary their diet by feeding upon the flowers. 

 Several moths have been reared from larvae which fed 

 altogether upon the flowers of Platypuntia. As a conse- 

 quence coceidivora has been listed as a cactus insect; but 

 this plant feeding is, I believe, only a departure from 

 the normal predaceous habit. Certainly coceidivora 

 does not favor the coccids on cactus above those on 

 other plants. Its impartiaUty in diet and lack of host 

 restriction are probably accountable for its ineffective- 

 ness as an agent of control in scale infestations. 



475. Laetilia coceidivora quadricolorella (Dyar), new combination 

 FiauKEs 504, 999 



Atascosa quadricolorella Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 6, 

 p. 116, 1904. 



Poujadia quadricolorella (Dyar), Barnes and McDunnough, 

 Check list of the Lepidoptera of Boreal America, no. 5819, 

 1917.— McDunnough, Check list, No. 6422, 1939. 



Differs from that of typical coceidivora in that the 

 white dusting is more abundant on head, thorax, and 

 forewing, and the brownish fuscous shading largely re- 

 placed by ocherous; the basal patch ocherous with a 

 narrow outer border of blackish scales; band outwardly 

 bordering the antemedial line ocherous with a blacldsh 

 brown dash or narrow smudge at top of cell; area 

 between cell and inner margin and between antemedial 

 and subterminal lines more or less ocherous (in Cali- 

 fornia specimens before me completely so) ; subterminal 

 line narrowly bordered inwardly and outwardly by 

 blackish scales, especially towards costa; black scales 

 more or less lining the upper margin of ceU; blackish 

 discal dots at end of cell and along termen at vein ends 

 rather sharply contrasted against the white dusting of 

 the ground color. Hind wing clear white with no dark 

 scahng on the veins; along termen a narrow brown line. 

 Alar expanse, 15-20 mm. 



Male genitaha with apex of gnathos more roimded, 

 posterior horns of apical process of gnathos somewhat 

 "horter and closer together than those of typical 

 coceidivora; but otherwise substantially the same. 

 Female genitalia not essentially different from those of 

 typical coceidivora. 



Type locality: Las Cruces, N. Mex. (type in 

 USNM). 



Food: Unknown (none of the specimens before me 

 has been reared but the larvae presumably feed upon 

 more than one species of coccids). 



Distribution: New Mexico, Las Cruces, Fort Win- 

 gate (May); Arizona, Redington; California, Mojave 

 (Aug.), Olancha (May, June). 



This local color variety (it is hardly more than that) 

 has probably escaped synonymy because it was de- 

 scribed in the wrong genus and subfamily. When it is 

 reared we may discover that it has no right even to 

 racial distinction. In New Mexico and Arizona it and 

 typical coceidivora occur in the same localities. The 

 California specimens before me, however, show such 

 marked contrasts in color (intensity of the white dusting 

 and light ocherous tint of the normally brownish areas 



