THE HOP SNOUT-MOTH. 39 



find no difference except in size. Guenee says the larva of mieacea is of 

 a earneous-gray color and that it lives in sedges. Lederer says the 

 larva* are pale yellow, with darker tubercles and horny plate on the 

 neck, and live when young in the stems, later on the tuberous roots of 

 Cacalia. Sepp figures the larva of mieacea as of an obscure violet, in the 

 steins of Rumex. This range of variation includes the different appear- 

 ances assumed by our larva in its growth, but for the present, perhaps, 

 the species had better be retained as distinct. R. ohliqua Harvey, is, 

 however, undoubtedly only a local variation of immanis ; and as hop- 

 growing in Washington Territory, whence that insect comes, is assum- 

 ing large dimensions, we may expect soon to hear complaints of damage 

 done there by the " grub." 



THE HOP SNOUT-MOTH. 

 (Hypena humuli Harr.) 

 The larva of a small, obscurely colored and marked moth was found 

 in spring, at Herkimer, in a single low-lying yard. A hill yard close by 

 was entirely free from it, and at Waterville I found no traces of it. The 

 caterpillar is pea-green, speckled with minute black dots giving rise to 

 short hairs, and there are two paler whitish lines on the back and one 

 on each side ; it has IT legs, and when walking bends up the back a 

 little. On June 22 I found a few specimens of the larvae ; they were then 

 about an inch in length and very active, dropping from the leaf the 

 moment they noticed approaching disturbance and making for some 

 place of concealment on reaching the ground. The few specimens I 

 gathered died. On July 14, in tbe same yard, I saw perhaps half a 

 dozen specimens of about the same size. They did no particular harm, 

 eating holes in some of the lower leaves, but not to a noticeable extent. 

 The larva when full-grown spins a thin, silken cocoon in a folded leaf 

 or in some crevice, changes to a brown chrysalis and soon after comes 

 forth as a moth whose wings measure about an inch or a little more 

 when expanded. The color varies from rust to black brown ; they are 

 slightly mottled with paler markings, have an oblique paler dash at 

 the tip, and a scalloped, more or less distinct, pale transverse line beyond 

 the middle of the fore wings. The hind wings are dusky, without evi- 

 dent markings. A peculiar feature of the moth and one by which it can 

 be easily known is the projecting snout, formed by the long, flattened 

 palpi or mouth-feelers which are held close together and projecting hori- 

 zontally forward. There are said to be two broods, but 1 did not succeed 

 in finding the larva again later in the season, and to nearly all growers 

 of whom I inquired the insect was entirely unknown. Should it be 

 come numerous it can be controlled by taking advantage of its habit 

 of at once dropping to the ground when disturbed ; by brushing with a 

 stick up and down the vines the larva will be induced to drop to the 

 ground where a big foot, rightly placed, will prove a complete remedy. 

 It will not take long and need be done but once or twice. 



