60 



surface. The wing-expanse is about If to 2 inches (45-50 mm ) and the 

 length of the body is about nine-tenths of an inch (23 mm ). 



The eggs of this species, or for that matter of the genus Prodenia, 

 do not appear to have been described. From preserved specimens, 

 however, of an empty egg mass it is obvious that they are nearly dupli- 

 cates of Laphygma in appearance, the mass itself being covered with 

 gray hairs as in the latter genus. 



The larva. — The general color of the larva is a peculiar olive or 

 greenish brown, more or less variable, finely lined with dark gray 

 and brown, and this as well as other species of the genus which will 

 be discussed are all ornamented on the upper surface with a double 

 row of triangular, velvety-black, sometimes greenish, spots, which 

 give them a striking appearance. The larvae are in fact so peculiarly 

 marked that it is not at all difficult to separate this genus from any 

 other common genus of the same family occurring in the Eastern 



States. The larva of this species 

 may be distinguished in all 

 stages, except the final stage, by 

 the greater number of these 

 dorsal black spots and the lack 

 of striation so visible in the 

 other two. The body is cylin- 

 drical and smooth; the head is 

 small and polished black or dark 

 brown in front, shading off into 

 lighter brown at the posterior 

 end and at the sides, with the 

 frontal triangle margined with 

 white. The thoracic plate is 

 dull brown or blackish with the 

 piliferous spots and median line dull yellowish, and the second thoracic 

 segment has two usually large, deep-black dorsal spots. The dorsum 

 is also marked with a median row of small yellow dots. The stigmata 

 are black with pale centers, the thoracic legs brown, the abdominal 

 le^s dark green externally, and the hooklets dark brown; inflated 

 larv;e are rather dark reddish-brown. 



The length is between one and one-half and one and three-fourths 

 inches (38-45 mm ), the diameter 10-12 mm . 



Technical descriptions of the various stages of the larva- have been 

 kindly drawn up by Dr. H. Gr. Dyar, and are appended. 



The mature larva of a well-marked form is shown at figure 19, 

 C and d- a von no' larva beino- illustrated bv ft. 



.^^$1 



Fig. 19. — Prodenia commelinse: a, moth; b, young 

 larva; c, mature larva, dorsal view; d, same, 

 lateral view— all slightly enlarged (original). 



'/. a young larva being illustrated by 



LARVAL STAGES OF PRODENI-A (OMMEI.IN'.F.. 



Stage L— Head rounded, bilobed, shining brown-black; clypeus moderate; mouth 

 slightly projecting; antennae small, normal; width, 0.3 mm . Body slightly enlarged 



