﻿202 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  The 
  imago. 
  — 
  The 
  moth 
  is 
  a 
  plain 
  appearing 
  reddish-gray 
  or 
  fawn 
  col- 
  

   ored 
  insect 
  with 
  a 
  spread 
  of 
  wing, 
  averaging 
  about 
  one 
  inch 
  and 
  one-half. 
  

   The 
  fore-wing 
  has 
  two 
  large 
  ill-defined 
  spots 
  of 
  a 
  slightly 
  lighter 
  color 
  

   anterior 
  to 
  its 
  center; 
  behind 
  the 
  outer 
  one, 
  is 
  the 
  small 
  character- 
  

   istic 
  white 
  spot 
  indistinctly 
  bordered 
  with 
  black. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  faintly 
  

   indicated 
  oblique 
  line 
  from 
  the 
  apex 
  to 
  near 
  the 
  outer 
  third 
  of 
  the 
  hind 
  

   margin 
  of 
  the 
  wing, 
  of 
  which 
  only 
  the 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  line 
  near 
  the 
  apex 
  

   is 
  continuous, 
  the 
  remainder 
  being 
  represented 
  by 
  dots. 
  The 
  tips 
  of 
  the 
  

   veins 
  are 
  usually 
  indicated 
  by 
  black, 
  and 
  the 
  whole 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  wing 
  

   is 
  shghtly 
  and 
  variably 
  specked 
  with 
  the 
  same. 
  The 
  outer 
  portions 
  of 
  

   the 
  hind 
  wing 
  is 
  a 
  uniform 
  dark 
  gray 
  ; 
  the 
  basal 
  portion 
  lighter. 
  Fringe 
  

   with 
  a 
  grayish, 
  silvery 
  luster. 
  Beneath, 
  the 
  wings 
  are 
  a 
  silvery 
  gray» 
  

   The 
  moth 
  is 
  shown 
  in 
  Plate 
  III, 
  figures 
  a, 
  b 
  and 
  c. 
  

  

  Life-history 
  and 
  Habits. 
  

  

  The 
  life-history 
  and 
  habits 
  of 
  this, 
  at 
  times, 
  very 
  destructive 
  insect 
  are 
  

   of 
  the 
  utmost 
  importance 
  in 
  preventing 
  its 
  ravages 
  or 
  in 
  checking 
  it 
  after 
  

   the 
  destructive 
  work 
  of 
  the 
  larvae 
  becomes 
  apparent. 
  Most, 
  if 
  not 
  all, 
  

   of 
  its 
  demonstrations 
  are 
  characterized 
  by 
  the 
  sudden 
  discovery 
  of 
  large 
  

   numbers 
  of 
  caterpillars 
  rapidly 
  destroying 
  the 
  crops, 
  and 
  usually 
  when 
  

   thus 
  discovered, 
  it 
  is 
  too 
  late 
  to 
  prevent 
  serious 
  loss. 
  The 
  number 
  of 
  

   broods 
  in 
  a 
  year 
  is 
  controlled 
  largely 
  by 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  season 
  in 
  con- 
  

   nection 
  with 
  an 
  abundance 
  of 
  suitable 
  food. 
  In 
  the 
  North 
  there 
  are 
  but 
  

   two 
  or 
  three 
  generations 
  in 
  a 
  year, 
  while 
  in 
  the 
  South, 
  it 
  is 
  stated 
  that 
  as 
  

   many 
  as 
  six 
  may 
  occur. 
  The 
  insect 
  may 
  pass 
  the 
  winter, 
  in 
  the 
  northern 
  

   portion 
  of 
  its 
  range, 
  either 
  as 
  moths 
  or 
  larvae, 
  and 
  possibly 
  in 
  the 
  pupal 
  

   stage; 
  in 
  the 
  southern 
  portion, 
  it 
  may 
  exceptionally 
  hibernate 
  in 
  the 
  egg. 
  

  

  The 
  habits 
  of 
  the 
  imago. 
  — 
  The 
  moths 
  may 
  be 
  seen 
  on 
  the 
  wing 
  in 
  the 
  

   early 
  evening 
  hours 
  or 
  during 
  the 
  day 
  in 
  cloudy 
  weather. 
  The 
  flight 
  is 
  

   usually 
  near 
  the 
  ground 
  and 
  is 
  accompanied 
  by 
  a 
  low 
  humming 
  sound, 
  

   similar 
  to, 
  but 
  less 
  intense 
  than 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  hawk-moths; 
  it 
  is 
  strong, 
  

   irregular, 
  and 
  plunging. 
  They 
  are 
  probably 
  capable 
  of 
  long-sustained 
  

   flights, 
  as 
  on 
  one 
  occasion 
  when 
  they 
  were 
  swarming 
  in 
  houses 
  in 
  the 
  

   vicinity 
  of 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  coast, 
  fishermen 
  reported 
  a 
  great 
  cloud 
  of 
  the 
  

   moths 
  over 
  their 
  boat 
  out 
  at 
  sea. 
  

  

  Their 
  food 
  is 
  quite 
  varied 
  : 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  taken 
  on 
  the 
  blossoms 
  of 
  

   apple-trees, 
  on 
  honeysuckle, 
  soap-wort 
  {Saponaria 
  officinalis), 
  and 
  yucca. 
  

   In 
  August 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  year 
  they 
  were 
  attracted 
  in 
  great 
  numbers 
  

   to 
  the 
  red 
  berries 
  of 
  the 
  Tartarian 
  honeysuckle 
  [Lonicera 
  Tartarica), 
  

   in 
  Washington 
  park, 
  Albany, 
  upon 
  which 
  they 
  fed, 
  either 
  by 
  puncturing 
  

  

  