14 CIRCULAR 8 4 9, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



These larvae were reared in a cave where the temperatures were 

 somewhat lower than those that larvae under field conditions would 

 experience during spring feeding. This condition delayed develop- 

 ment so that the life cycle required slightly more than a year. 



The pupa ranges from 14 to 20 mm. in length and from 5 to 6 mm. 

 in diameter at the widest point. 



Reproductive capacity. — When 7 females reared from the life-cycle 

 series were dissected, the number of eggs contained in the ovaries 

 ranged from 459 to 882, and averaged 690. 



Natural enemies. — -During 5 years 398 larvae of this species were 

 collected and reared. The mortality due to Hymenoptera was 6 per- 

 cent, to Dipt era 0.7 percent, and to disease 19 percent. The parasites 

 and disease organisms noted were as follows: 



Hymenoptera — Meteorus vulgaris (Cress.), Microplitis feltzae Mues., Exetastes 

 obscurus Cress.. Netelia sp., Apanteles griffini Vier., Ophion sp. 



Dipt era — Winthemia quadripustulata (F.). 



Disease organisms — Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metsch), Sorosporella uvella 

 (Krass), and undetermined wilt. 



Agrotis venerabilis Walker 



(Figs. 2, C; 4, E) 



Distribution. — This species is recorded throughout the entire north- 

 ern United States, in Manitoba and Ontario in Canada, and in 

 California, Colorado, Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia. The writer 

 aund the species to be abundant in Kansas and Nebraska. 



Economic status. — In cereal and forage crops this species at times 

 is abundant, but no outbreaks have been observed. It has been found 

 in great numbers in pastures, and frequently is a pest in gardens near 

 Manhattan, Kans. 



Food plants and larval habits. — -The larvae are found most commonly 

 in pastures where little barley (Hordeum pusillum Nutt.) is dominant, 

 and also in alfalfa, sweetclover, and roadside vegetation and under 

 dandelion plants in lawns. They make burrows similar to those of 

 Agrotis gladiaria. 



Seasonal history. — This species has a single brood annually. The 

 adults appear late in September and early in October. This species 

 probably passes the winter as a partly grown larva. In the spring 

 the larvae resume feeding and become full-grown by the last of April. 

 They construct pupal cells and remain inactive in them until pupation 

 begins late in August. 



Natural enemies. — Of 511 larvae observed, 2 percent were parasitized 

 by Hymenoptera, 1 percent by Diptera, and 1 percent by nematodes; 

 1 1 percent died of disease. The parasites and disease organisms reared 

 were as follows: 



Hymenoptera — Berecyntus sp., Zele mellea (Cress.), Paranomalon sp. near 



suburbe (Davis), Ophion sp. 

 Diptera — Bombyliidae, species undetermined. 

 Xematoda — Mermis sp. 

 Disease organisms — Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metsch), undetermined wilt. 



