39 



Tin's Latter was observed to be rather common in tin* fields both at 

 Schuyler and Norfolk, while it has been bred in fairly large numbers 

 from Grand Island worms. In addition- to these, several other para- 

 sites have thus far been bred from the web worms contained in my 

 breeding cages. 



As to the life history of these web-worms we are posted only in a 

 general way, and not specifically. Our observations on the present spe- 

 cies, Loxosteijc sticticalis, have not extended over a period of more than 

 three months, hence we can not positively assert how it carries itself 

 throughout the year. Thafc it varies somewhat in its transformations 

 and developments at different periods of the year is quite evident from 

 what little we have seen of it so Sir. But two weeks is required be- 

 tween the maturity of the late July caterpillars and the appearance of 

 the moths for the next brood. These immediately mate and deposit 

 their eggs for another brood. The worms must therefore transform to 

 chrysalids immediately after entering the ground. Such is not the case 

 with the caterpillers of the last brood. With these the chrysalis stage 

 is not entered for some time — possibly not until very late in the fall or 

 even during the following spring. When I visited the Grand Island 

 fields, fully three weeks after the last worms had entered the ground, 

 they were found still in the caterpillar stage. Even at the present 

 writing most of those in my breeding cages are unchanged. In this 

 respect the insect imitates the slugs of some of our saw-flies. Its bur- 

 row is made and lined with silk, and the inner cocoon constructed 

 immediately on entering the ground, but the worm instead of at once 

 changing to the pupa stage lies in a semi- torpid condition until the 

 proper time arrives for the change to take place, whether the insect 

 enters the ground during the summer brood or broods when transform- 

 ing, was not learned j but, if its life history is similar to that of the 

 common Garden Web -worm, Loxostege similalis, it does not, but merely 

 spin among the debris on top of the ground. Some of the larva' of the 

 August brood transformed and issued during September and October. 

 It is barely possible that there is another set of caterpillars produced 

 by these stragglers during the fall if the weather permits: but, as 

 indicated above, the majority of the August brood remain unchanged 

 until sometime during the following spring. 



At least three distinct forms of these web-worms were taken from 

 beet fields in different parts of the State, and a fourth one was found 

 upon Chenopodium album growing in waste places here at Lincoln. 

 Possibly still others might have been recognized if a close observation 

 had been kept for that purpose. The similar food habits among the 

 species of a genus of insects will very likely give us several more of 

 these web-worms to add to our already large list of beet insects. 



The web-worm found feeding on the Ohmopodium album here at Lin- 

 coln can be recognised by the following description which was drawn 

 up at the time of capture, and before it span up: Length, 20 mm j slender. 



