50 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



according to Hampson, from the species we are considering. This 

 latter appears tO' be widely distributed in North America, having 

 been recorded in localities from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast 

 and from Keywest north into Canada. It appears in its northern 

 distribution at least, to be preeminently a greenhouse species. 



The reddish brown and indistinctly black marked moth has a 

 wing spread of about three-fourths of an inch. The fore wings are 

 a variable yellowish brown with indistinct, serrate, blackish lines 

 and spots. The hind wings are grayish and mostly indistinctly 

 marked, both wings being margined by a row of rather distinct 

 black spots. When at rest the hind margins of the posterior wings 

 touch and the moth has a flattened, triangular shape. 



The full-grown caterpillar is about three-fourths of an inch long, 

 green or greenish yellow in color and somewhat transluscent. The 

 head is light amber with obscure, pale brown, irregular markings, 

 the first thoracic segment usually with a subdorsal pair of small, 

 black spots, or the cervical shield may be transparent. The re- 

 mainder of the body has a broad, greenish white dorsal stripe ex- 

 tending to the subdorsal region, with the darker alimentary tract 

 showing through. This stripe in some individuals is whitish trans- 

 parent and margined by narrow, white, subdorsal lines. The sides 

 are pale yellowish green. The tubercles are small, piliferous, semi- 

 transparent and shiny. Anal segment with a subdorsal pair of 

 small, irregular, black spots. The true legs are yellowish trans- 

 parent, the prolegs semitransparent. 



This caterpillar is a very general feeder, having been recorded 

 by various writers as attacking celery, cabbage, beets, tobacco, 

 Ageratum, geranium, ground ivy, German and Kenilworth ivy, 

 violet, heliotrope, wall flower, wandering Jew, dahlia, daisy, Jus- 

 ticea, chrysanthemum, carnation, Cineraria, begonia, abutilon, roses, 

 anemone, nasturtium, moon vine, Swainsonia, Genista, Plumbago, 

 Matricaria, Passiflora, Ruellia, Tydaea, Lobelia, Veronica, Lantana, 

 Deutzia, nodding thistle (Carduus), Ambrosia, several species, and 

 Sisymbrium. 



These somewhat general feeders are most noticeable in secluded 

 situations and display a marked preference for the terminal leaves, 

 eating holes in the latter. They feed chiefly at night, resting by 

 day in one location, a retreat in which the final transformations 

 usually occur. The duration of the larval existence extends from 

 about three to possibly five weeks, and that of the pupa from one 

 to presumably two weeks. It will thus be seen that several genera- 



