THE VERBENA BUD MOTH. 

 THE MOTH. 



Mr. C. H. Popenoe found the pods of mullein literally peppered by 

 the work of this insect in Kansas and Indiana and suggests that 

 mullein was probably the original food plant. 



DESCRIPTION. 



The adult of Oleihreutes Tiebesana is a small dark-brown moth (PI. 

 I, b) of the usual tortricid type, with a wing expanse of about one- 

 half inch. A technical description, including the markings, from 

 specimens before the writer, follows: 



Alar expanse, 0.50 inch; length, 0.23 inch. Head with buff-brown tufts; eyes and 

 palpi at apices somewhat darker, antennae short (one-third length of fore wing), 

 filiform and simple in both sexes. Thorax with the shoulder pieces and dorsal tuft 

 uniform buff-brown. Abdomen more gray. Forewings silvery gray, with metallic 

 blue reflections more or less intense; the lighter parts carneous, with a silvery luster; 

 and the whole intricately shaded with dark Vandyke brown. The light is mostly 

 reflected from the beautifully marked edges of the scales, which are transversely imbi- 

 cated. There are three principal dark-brown marks, namely, one broad and irregu- 

 lar, crossing the wing a little beyond the middle and containing a more or less com- 

 plete pale ring on the posterior border just within the anterior median cell; another, 

 subobsolete, opposite, on its inner border. Between this transverse band and the 

 base is a smaller, irregular, brown mark, not extending to the inner margin, and 

 between the pale ring above described and the apex of the wing a third conspicuous 

 brown mark, not extending more than one-third the width of the wing. Each of these 

 dark marks is relieved by a pale border, and between them the brown, blue, and flesh 

 color are intricately mixed. Apex of wing rounded; posterior border dark, with a 

 series of eight or nine more or less distinct rust-brown angular spots, just inside, the 

 two largest being costal ; fringes dark brown, with a deep-blue gloss. Hind wings light 

 brown, this color becoming deeper around the posterior margin; fringes lighter. 

 Whole undersurface of a uniform leaden brown, that of forewings somewhat darkest 

 and showing costal marks. No sexual difference is noted except in the narrower and 

 less pointed male abdomen. 



Following are the original descriptions of the larva and pupa, from 

 the writings of Dr. C. V. Riley: 



THE LARVA. 



Penthina Fullerea. — Average length exactly half an inch; general color of a uniform 

 dirty carneous, frequently inclining to yellow and to green; two wrinkles on each 

 segment; head jet-black, without a spot or shade; cervical shield also black, and 

 occupying the whole surface of segment one; piliferous spots in the normal position, 

 but scarcely observable, even with a lens, other than by the hairs proceeding from 

 them; feet, legs, and venter of the same color as upper surface. (Fig. 1.) 



THE PUPA. 



The chrysalis (PI. I, e). — Average length, 0.25 inch; of the usual form, with a dis- 

 tinct row of teeth above, on the anterior portion of each segment, and a few minute 

 bristles at the extremity and along the sides. It is formed within a silken cocoon, 

 constructed in one of the three tubes of the seed, and forces itself halfway out at one 

 side when the moth is about to emerge. (PL II, b; PI. III.) 



