BIOLOGY OF THE LOTUS BORER. fi 
continue to appear after the main blooming season are generally 
smaller, contain relatively few seeds, and often have empty sockets 
due to incomplete fertilization. 
So far as is known, this lotus has at present no economic value 
other than its very obvious qualifications as an ornamental plant. The 
work of the larve of this insect on the leaves (Pl. III) is conspicu- 
ous and unsightly, and the attacks on the pods result in many mis- 
shapen and distorted specimens as well as in the outrimht destruction 
of an appreciable proportion of the seeds. 
PUPATION OF THE FIRST GENERATION. 
Pupe of the first generation are formed in dense, tough, papery 
cocoons in the growing pods. The cocoon is not conspicuous even 
when the pod is opened, as it is stained and studded with brownish 
excrement like the walls of the burrow. In the great majority of 
eases it lies well toward the base of the pod with its long axis parallel 
with the vascular bundles running to the seed sockets. Less often 
it is found lying partially within or through one or more of the 
partly consumed seeds. The cocoon and pupa are so much larger 
than the seeds that it seems impossible for the pest ever to be acci- 
dentally distributed in them. Larve have been found lying entirely 
within a single immature seed but never a pupa. In the cocoon the 
pupa lies with its head toward the entrance, and after emergence 
occurs the pupal shell remains entirely within the cocoon. The moth 
escapes from the pod by the same opening through which the larva 
entered it. 
PUPATION OF TERE SECOND GENERATION. 
In the second generation the pupal habits are quite different, and 
considerable search was required to locate the cocoon and pupa. 
Even though a few pods continued to develop from stray flowers, they 
were found attacked by larve in only one or two cases, and the in- 
creasing number of larve reaching maturity made it certain that 
they were seeking other quarters. Two possibilities were open—the 
over-curled margins of the leaves and the petioles. The leaf margins 
yielded only a very occasional pupa, not enough to solve the problem, 
and the petioles, standing as they did from 15 to 30 inches above the 
water and offering apparently ideal conditions for a pupal burrow, 
remained unscarred. To be sure, an occasional shallow pit was 
found in the upper end, opening to the upper surface of the leaf blade, 
but never one large enough to contain a larva. 
The lotus at least in this plantation holds the leaves high above 
the water on their stiff and milky-juiced supporting petioles until, 
either from maturity or because of serious injury to the leaf surface, 
they have about reached their limit; of usefulness. ‘The petioles then 
