12 BULLETIN 539, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
SEASONAL HISTORY. 
OVIPOSITION. 
Eggs of this species have not been found in the field; but, judging 
from the results obtained from rearing, they are probably deposited 
on the stems of plants, in the axils of the leaves, or on the ground 
at or near the bases of the stalks. The larvae upon hatching crawl 
to the stalks and begin feeding. 
In rearing cages, the eggs are deposited generally on the cheese- 
cloth which covers the lantern globe. Sometimes, however, they 
are deposited on bits of grass leaves or stems, pieces of cloth or other 
loose material placed in the bottom of the cage, on the stem of grass 
placed in the cage as food or, not at all infrequently, upon the cotton 
which holds the sprig of grass in place. Most of the eggs deposited on 
the cloth top are pushed through the mesh of the cloth by the female 
and are found on the upper side of the cloth, appearing as though 
they were deposited from without. Eggs are placed singly as a rule, 
though sometimes two or three en masse may be found glued securely 
together. In such cases they lose their individual rotundity and 
flatten out somewhat at points at attachment. A mucilaginous sub- 
stance secreted by the female, which hardens after exposure to the 
air, glues the eggs firmly to the object. 
The females begin to oviposit shortly after dusk and continue 
until the early hours of the morning. The majority of the eggs are 
deposited during the forepart of the night and it is probable that all 
of them are laid at this time under field conditions. No eggs are 
deposited during the day or in bright light at night. Oviposition 
will take place, however, in diffused light, although not as many 
eggs will be deposited as in total darkness. 
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON OVIPOSITION. 
Oviposition did not take place when the temperature fell much 
below 80° F. Two cages containing a number of females and males 
were kept under normal conditions ; three others, also supplied with 
a number of moths of both sexes, were kept in a room the temperature 
of which rose to somewhere between 80 and 90° F. during the day and 
fell gradually, reaching approximately 80° F. by early evening and 
practically normal by morning, as the windows were kept open all 
night. Eggs were obtained in all the cages kept in the room, all 
of them being deposited during the early part of the evening. No 
eggs were obtained in the cages kept under normal conditions. 
The same type of cage was used hi both cases, consisting of a flower- 
pot surmounted by an ordinary lantern globe, the top of which was 
closed with a bit of cheesecloth held in place by a rubber band. 
