95 



the nectary is dry, however, no time is wasted before seeking another. 

 In feeding on the flowers, the proboscis is inserted into the corolla, 

 usually near the base between the petals. In such situations the moths 

 are no doubt searching for moisture rather than honey. It is rare for 

 the moth to visit more than three or four parts of one plant before 

 flying awa}^, although quite often it will return to a plant previously 

 fed upon. During the course oi an hour a moderately active moth, 

 alternately feeding, resting, and ovipositing, will cover several acres 

 of ground, visiting anywhere from one hundred to one hundred and 

 fifty plants. 



Early in the evening, when the moths are first on the wing their 

 flight is very swift, but graduall}^ slows down. As a general rule they 

 are quicker and shyer on the clear evenings following hot, dry days, 

 and less active in cloudy or rainy weather. This does not indicate a 

 decrease in ovi position in rainy weather, as might appear at first sight, 

 for rapid flight does not determine active oviposition. 



Night feeding is confined almost entirely to corn and cowpeas early 

 in the season and to cotton and cowpeas later. Corn ofi^ers no primary 

 attraction in the wa}^ of food, but they feed upon the moisture present 

 and upon the honey dew of aphids. The honey secreted by the glands 

 on the fruit stalks of the cowpea draws them to the plants, although, as 

 before noted, oviposition is not common on them. Cotton must also 

 offer a great attraction by supplying food, aside from any other con- 

 sideration. At the time cotton is squaring and blooming extensively 

 other food is scarce, and for this reason alone the moths may be 

 induced to tarn their attention to it. 



ATTRACTION BY LIGHTS. 



Although the uselessness of trying to capture the moths by means 

 of trap lanterns has been pointed out again and again, the method was 

 tested very thoroughly during the year. Several tin traps were con- 

 structed like the one shown on Plate XXV, figure 1, somew^hat similar 

 to a model described by Gillette, with the addition of a patent oil -torch 

 lamp and a series of tin reflectors above. The lower portion was well 

 stocked with cyanide, and the lamps pat in operation in corn and cotton 

 fields at various dates during the season. The first night, May 2, a 

 single male Heliothis was captured, but the traps yielded no further 

 moths in fifteen future settings, and were abandoned until later in the 

 season. During the early part of September the traps were again 

 resorted to with less discouraging results, 8 males and 2 females being- 

 caught in four settings. At this time, however, moths were present 

 in countless numbers in the patches of corn and cowpeas where the 

 traps were placed. Aside from these captures, 8 single female speci- 

 mens were collected at different times flying to the lights in windows 

 22051— No. 50—05 7 



