INSECTS AFFECTING VEGETABLE CROPS IN PORTO RICO. \) 



Pachyzancla periusalis Walk. 



Larvae of this pyralid moth feed upon the leaves of eggplant and 

 Solarium torvum. The young larvae live at first as miners in the 

 leaves, but later web the leaves together. (See PL III, fig. 1.) The 

 shelter is usually formed near the edge of the leaf, a portion of which 

 is folded in toward the mid vein and held in place by silken threads. 

 Sometimes, however, parts of two or more leaves form the shelter. 

 The larvae feed from within these areas and are often common on 

 both plants mentioned as hosts. 



The moth has a wing expanse of three-fourths to seven-eighths of 

 an inch and is gray in color. The wings are glistening and marked 

 above with three darker, wavy, transverse lines, the two inner ones 

 extending across both wings, while the outer one extends from the 

 costal margin to a point near the middle of the front wing. 



Nacoleia indicata Fab. 



The larva feeds upon the leaves of garden bean, webbing together 

 parts of the same leaf or separate leaves. It also occurs on cowpea. 



The adult, Plate II, figure 2, is golden yellow, the wings marked 

 with black along the outer margin, and above with three black 

 wavy lines extending across them, much as do the dark lines on the 

 wings of Pachyzancla periusalis. 



PlLOCROCIS TREPUNCTATA Fab. 



Sweet-potato leaves have been found webbed together and injured 

 by the larvae. 



The moth, shown in Plate III, figure 2, is light yellow, the wings 

 being marked with black and brown, and having an expanse of about 

 an inch. 



Plutella maculipennis Curtis. 



Larvae of the " diamond-back moth" are at times very abundant 

 on and destructive to the leaves of cabbage. Mr. Barrett mentioned 

 the species in his 1903 report (p. 448) and Mr. Tower, in his 1907 

 report (p. 35), listed cabbage, kale, mustard, and turnips as food 

 plants, briefly summarized its life history, made note of a parasite, 

 and mentioned remedies to be applied. A mustard leaf which has 

 been severely injured by the larvae is shown in Plate IV. 



HYMENOPTERA. 



SOLENOPSIS GEMINATA Fab. 



The "fire ant," or "hormiga brava," has been found injuring okra 

 plants by cutting away parts of the flowers and portions of the 

 younger growth. 



