REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 1898 203 



The pupa has been described by Dr Riley as about 'f of an inch long, 

 deep, shiny brown, and thickly punctate, except on the posterior border 

 of the joints, and specially on those three immediately below the wing 

 sheaths, where it is reddish and not polished ; it terminates in a blunt point 

 ornamented with two thorns.' Pupation occurs underground, in a rude 

 earthen cell, which is lined with particles of soil interwoven with silken 

 threads. 



The front wings of the moth are of a beautiful, rich purple-brown, 

 blending with a delicate lighter shade of brown in the middle. The 

 ordinary spots in the middle of the wing, with a third oval spot, more or 

 less distinctly marked behind the round one, are edged and traversed by 

 white lines so as to appear like delicate net work ; a transverse, zig-zag, 

 white line, like a sprawling W, is also more or less visible near the outer 

 edge, on which edge there is a series of white specks ; a few white atoms 

 are also sprinkled in other places on the wing. The hind wings are 

 white, faintly edged with brown on the U|)per and outer edges. The head 

 and thorax are of the same color as the front wings, and the body has a 

 more grayish cast (Riley). 



Life history. The young larvae may be found in clusters on their 

 food plants. As they increase in size, they disperse, till when full 

 grown they are found singly here and there. When disturbed, they curl 

 up and drop to the ground as do many cut-worms. In confinement they 

 have been observed to eat with great rapidity, resting frequently from 

 their feeding. The first brood of larvae mature ia this latitude the last 

 of June or in July. Those received from Alexandria Bay, July 19, were 

 about full grown, while Dr Lintner records pupation of some reared 

 examples on the 27th of June. The moths from these pui)ae emerged 

 August II to 18, and deposited eggs, the earliest of which hatched 

 August 20. Thus it will be seen that thtre are two broods in this state. 

 Adults emerging from pupae the latter part of May, lay eggs which pro- 

 duce the brood of larvae usually destructive. The moths of the second 

 generation fly in August, the larvae from their eggs attaining full growth 

 in September or Ociober and wintering as pupae. Like cabbage, one of 

 its favorite food plants, the larva can withstand a considerable degree of 

 cold, as recorded by Walsh. 



Food plants. The larvae of this species have been previously 

 recorded as feeding upon the following plants by various writers : Cab- 

 bage, cauliflower, turnip, rutabagas, mignonette, sweet pea, orange, 

 clover, bean, pea, apple, currant, carrot, celery, white berry or snowberry 

 {Symphorkarpiis racemosus), honeysuckle, burdock, aster, cranberry, 



