UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 419 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 

 L. O. HOWARD, Chief 



J^?"^P^U 



Washington, D. C. 



November 9, 191© 



THE GRAPE LEAF-FOLDER. 



By J. F. Strauss, 

 Entomological Assistant, Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



History 1 



Distribution 3 



Food plants 4 



Extent and character of the injury 5 



Description of the grape leaf-folder 6 



Life history and habits 7 



Natui'al enemies 8 



Methods of control. 12 



Literature cited 13 



INTRODUCTION. 



The grape leaf-folder, Desmia funeralis Hiibn. (family Pyralidae) 

 has long been known as a pest of grapevines. Since 1885 the injury 

 inflicted by the larva has been described frequently, and different 

 remedial measures have been suggested. However, the insect has 

 not been the subject of very careful study, and references to it in 

 hterature are mostly in the form of short notes in farm and horti- 

 cultural journals. 



Certain facts concerning the Hfe history and habits of this insect 

 were obtained during two seasons' observations in the vicinity of 

 the city of Washington. 



HISTORY. 



The grape leaf -folder first appeared in hterature in 1796, when it 

 was figured by Hiibner (1)^ under the name of Pyralis funeralis, 

 Switzerland was given for the locality, which was evidently a mis- 

 take, as pointed out by Guenee (5, p. 190) in 1854. Later Jltib- 

 ner (2) placed the species in the genus Anania. 



In 1832 Westwood (4) established the genus Desmia and placed 

 in it the species maculdlis, including as a probable synonym Botys 



1 NumlKirs in lyarcnthcsLs refer to " Literature cited," p. 13, 

 65055"— Bull. 419—10 



