BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 226 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. 
May 27, 1915. 
PROFESSIONAL PAPER. 
THE VERBENA BUD MOTH 
By D. E. Fink, 
Entomological Assistant, Truck Crop 1 and Stored Product Insect Investigations. 
(In cooperation with the Virginia Truck Experiment Station, Norfolk, Va.) 
CONTENTS. 
Introduction and history 1 
Name and synonymy 2 
Distribution. 2 
Food plants 2 
Page. 
Description 3 
Habits and seasonal history 4 
Methods of control 6 
Bibliography 7 
INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY. 
During the fall of 1913 a bed of ornamental snapdragon (Antirrhi- 
num) at the Virginia truck experiment station, Norfolk, Va., was 
found to be infested by the larvae of a bud moth. The adults were 
reared and identified as Oleihreutes Jiebesana Walk., or the verbena 
bud moth. Although long ago recognized as injurious to certain 
ornamentals, it appears that no attempt had been made to determine 
its life history, with the exception of a short note regarding the habits 
of the larva and a description of the different stages. Since 1868, at 
which date it was fully described, an interval of over 46 years has 
elapsed and but little has been published concerning it. 
The first intimation we have of this insect as a pest occurs in a 
letter by A. S. Fuller, forwarded in 1868 with specimens to C. V. Riley, 
then State entomologist of Missouri. Riley reared the adults from 
the seeds of Tigridia and later identified the moth as an undescribed 
species belonging to the tortricid genus Penthina. In honor of the 
discoverer Riley named the species fullerea. At about the same time 
two other workers independently discovered the same insect doing 
injury to flowering plants. Mrs. Mary Treat found it exceedingly 
1 This term is used in its broadest sense and includes all vegetables, and in addition ornamental 
plants.— f. H. c. 
Note. — This bulletin gives the life history of the verbena bud moth, its food plants, and methods 
for its control. 
88200°— Bull. 22&— 15 
