No. 3.3 Indigo. 159 



In actual point of numbers this is the second worst of the many 

 lepidopterous pests found by me in the indigo at Seeraha during 

 August and September, Rapama nehulosa, Moore, being the most 

 numerous. But perhaps of the two P. Littoralis does the more 

 damage, as it is the much larger caterpillar, probably four times as large 

 and will therefore eat four times as many leaves as its smaller rival. 

 This is almost certainly the fat green caterpillar frequently referred 

 to by the planters as being found in thousands in their steeping vats 

 during kunti mahai. The larva turns to a pupa in the ground as does 

 Heliothis armigera, Hubner. A small black fly about half the size 

 of a common house fly has been bred in small numbers from the 

 larva of P. littoralis. It has been identified by Mr. D. Coquillett as 

 Plectops orbata Wiedemann. 



a. Tatrorhynchus vinctalis, Walker, Sub-family Trifinse, 

 Family Noctuidse, Sub-order Phalasnse, Order Lepidoptera. Plate 

 xii, Fig. 6, $. 



Scopula -vinctalis, Walker, List Lep. Ins. B. M. s Vol, xxxiv, page 

 1476(1865); Butler, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1866, page 384; Swinhoe, Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. Lond., 1886, page. 460 ; Warren, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1888, page 

 335 > Udea vinctalis, Cotes ani Swinhoe, Cat. Moths, India, page 610, n. 4160 

 (1887); Tatrorhynchus vinctale, Ham pson, Fauna British Ind., Moths, vol. ii, 

 page 268, n. 1890 woodcut n. 148, male (1894). 



1 only bred a single specimen of this very distinct little moth 

 from indigo at Seeraha. It has been recorded from Aden, Karachi, 

 Subathu, Campbellpur, Mhow, Coimbatore, and from Australia. Its 

 general appearance is that of a pyrale rather than a noctuid. 



10. Remigia archesia .Cramer. Sub-family Quadrifinse. Family 

 Noctuidse. Sub-order Phalxnse. Order Lepidoptera. Plate xiii, Fig. 

 3, imago. 



This moth has not before been reported in India as a pest to 

 agriculture, though it occurs in large numbers in the indigo in August 

 and September, and is the third most commonly met with according 

 to my experience. As the larva is of considerable size it must destroy 

 a large quantity of the leaves of its food-plant. Sir George F. 

 Hampson gives ten synomyms for this species, which goes to show 

 how variable it is. This is also evidenced by the specimens bred by 

 me in one place from one food-plant and at the same time of year. 

 A particularly noticeable variation is the presence in some specimens 

 only, of a prominent round black spot behind the submedian nervure 

 towards the base of the wing on the upperside of the fore wing. All 

 the markings, however, vary in intensity; some specimens also are 

 much lighter than others. The larva is even more variable than the 



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