8 BULLETIN 1336, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGBICULIUBE 
THE PUPA (FIG. 9) 
Length of female 11 to 13 millimeters, average 12.17 millimeters; male 12 to 
15 millimeters, average 13.71 millimeters. Width about 4.5 millimeters. Body 
subcylindrical, with abdomen acute. Two pairs of minute setse on front and other 
minute setse sparsely distributed over rest of body. Cremaster with two stout 
spines bluntly curved at extremities, and on each side near their bases three 
smaller setae curved and thickened at extremities. The spiracles are transverse 
openings on tubercular prominences. In the female (fig. 10) the genital 
opening is nearer the caudal margin of the seventh abdominal segment than in 
the male (fig. 11). Surface of wing sheaths and prothoracic and mesothoracic 
regions coarsely rugose. Dorsum of abdominal segments coarsely punctate, 
ventrum sparsely punctate; caudal border of each abdominal segment smooth. 
The pupa is pale yellowish-green when first formed but soon turns chestnut- 
brown to fuscous, shiny, and sometimes almost black before emergence occurs. 
LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS 
ADULT STAGE 
EMERGENCE 
When the moth emerges, the pupal skin is broken along the 
sutures of the head and thorax. One moth, after detaching itself 
from the case, was observed to crawl rapidly away, coming to a 
standstill with head upward on the stem of an alfalfa plant on which 
it was allowed to crawl. Its wings, which were at first short, at- 
tained full growth in the course of eight minutes. 
HABITS IN THE FIELD 
During the day the moths stay in hiding on the under side of 
leaves or grass blades, sometimes in tree tops, and frequently under 
the eaves and on the walls of barns and nouses, where their dark 
color enables them to escape notice. At dusk they become active 
and in warm weather may be observed in the fields feeding on the 
nectar of the blossoms of their host plants and flitting from plant to 
plant. Their flight is zigzag and undulating, and on alighting they 
quickly dart to the under side of the leaf or other object. If pur- 
sued they frequently fly much higher than housetops and to a dis- 
tance of some 50 to 100 yards away before alighting. 
In broad daylight they are not easily aroused; but at dusk they 
are very timid, flying up at the slightest disturbance. When sud- 
denly frightened, they often feign death and drop to the ground 
with wings folded; but after an interval, if undisturbed, they crawl 
rapidly along the ground and fly up when well out of danger. 
In order to find shelter for hibernation they collect on barns and 
haystacks, where they are most often found during late fall, winter, 
ana early spring. They are active throughout the year, except 
when the weather is extremely cold, and Chittenden (2) records one 
flying at a temperature as low as 51° F. Both male and female 
moths have been found to be attracted by lights. 
O VI POSITION 
When ovipositing the moth partially raises her body and, while 
slightly retracting and extending her ovipositor, curves the end of 
her abdomen downward, its tip almost touching the surface on which 
she rests. After several minutes in this attitude, a single egg is 
quickly deposited. She then moves on to another resting place. 
