27 



A young Apple-tree entirely defoliated by thera in August shows no visible effects 

 above ground, will pass the winter ; the buds will swell the next spring, wither, 

 and, if the tree is taken up, it will be found to have no live roots whatever ; and, 

 curiously, so far as my observation goes, the smooth form of the Datana larva which 

 feeds on the Apple, does not seem to be as liable to parasitism as the hairy form that 

 feeds on the Black Walnut, and the Apple-tree form is at least one-third larger when 

 fall-grown.— [D.B.Wier, Petaluma, Cal., May, 1890. 



A Tineid {Anapliora popeanella Clem.) injuring Indian Corn. 



I send you by mail specimens of larvae that are injuring the young plants of Indian 

 Corn to a great extent in this and adjoining States. They are most abundant on sod 

 lands of first year's planting, from one to three being found in each hill, and from my 

 first observation of them when about one quarter of an inch long up to 1^ inches they 

 live in burrows lined with fine filaments of silk-like structure, the alley-ways being 

 often as deep as 4 or 5 inches in the ground and 2 or 3 long on the surface. When 

 they reach a hill of corn they surround the base of each plant with a fine web mixed 

 with earth pellets, building it up to the lower blade which they slowly eat away. 

 As they get larger they eat the stripped plant to the ground. They are shy, retreat- 

 ing to the bottom of their burrows on the least noise. If half a dozen are placed to- 

 gether they are belligerent, biting each other. Their color is light brown, not striped, 

 and they are covered with a thick coat of microscopic hairs, finer as the larvae get 

 ol ier. The specimens I send you have undergone their third molt. I have noticed 

 them here for several years, but not in injurious numbers till the present season in this 

 section. 1 am feeding a number of them so as to get the perfect insect and eggs if 

 possible. Could you tell me what they are and something of their life-history? 



The present summer I spent on the heads of the Saskatchewan River and was sur- 

 prised to see the great number of Danais archippus in the month of September. 

 Shrubs and small trees were covered with them in countless numbers. In the cool 

 (almost frost) of the evening they could be shaken to the ground in a helpless, chilled 

 condition, but became lively enough when the sun warmed them up. The Cree and 

 Blackfeet Indians say the wind from the south brings them there. The specimens I 

 send are in chloroform, which shrinks them a good deal, but I think will not destroy 

 their distinctive characteristics. — [John C. Audras, Manchester, 111., May 22, 1888. 



Reply. — Your letter of the 22d iust., inclosing specimens of larvae injuring 

 Indian Corn, duly received. The specimens interest me very much, as they are new to 

 science in the role of corn- feeders. They belong evidently to the Tineid genus 

 Anaphora, but it will be impossible to determine the species without rearing the 

 adult. I trust you will therefore assist us by sending us a large number of the living 

 larvae, as well as by carrying on the observations which you mention in the field. 

 Your observation upon Danais archippus is very interesting, but has frequently been 

 made before (see Vol. Ill, American Entomologist) — [May 26, 1888.] 



Second Letter. — I send you by mail some living larvae, but fear they will hardly go 

 through alive. I have had some difficulty in rearing them in captivity, as they seem to 

 need th^^ covered spun retreat into the ground and rather solitary habit. Though there 

 miy be a dozen destroying a hill of corn, each has his hom-, and on the least disturb- 

 ance retreats to the lowest depths of his web-lined burrow. Their hearing is acute ; 

 I cannot say whether by aural organs ; it may be by vibrations of the ground fiom 

 walking over it ; but the sound of a light step will cause every head to retreat for 

 several feet round. Their sight is good. I have stood perfectly still till a number 

 round me would be eating, when with the lifting of a hand all would be out of sight 

 in an instant. They feed in the evening, generally after 6. As the sun goes down 

 those that have their home a short distance from a hill of corn will crawl to the near- 

 est stalk and begin devouring it at once. As they increase in size they eat only next 

 the ground, and you can often see a plant 6 inches high cut down in the early stage. 

 The larvae live on the small leaves and do not cut the stem of the corn. In locomo- 



