47 
locality, according- to our correspondent's observations, appears to con- 
sist in the liner and softer forms of grasses, such as buffalo, crab, and 
joint grasses. In some seasons the caterpillars did great damage in 
patches. In ordinary } 7 ears they were found here, as elsewhere, 
" worming" the so-called u careless weed" (Amaranth/us spp.), par- 
ticularly in cotton fields. When other foods failed the larvae attacked 
young cotton, but if the field was kept clean and well cultivated it was 
not injured. June 13 Mr. W. J. Patton, Springdale, Washington 
Count} 7 , Ark., gave information that the moths were found everywhere 
in field and orchard in prodigious numbers, and that the greatest appre- 
hension was felt lest the larvae which would develop from the eggs 
deposited by the moths would do great damage. July 24 Prof. H. A. 
Morgan, Baton Rouge, La., wrote that this webwormwas a pest upon 
cotton and alfalfa in the northern portion of his State. 
In the three instances of injury that have been cited communications 
were accompanied by specimens. 
The larva at maturity is somewhat variable in color, but such indi- 
viduals as have come under the writer's notice from different sources 
are usually dull pale green above and dull greenish yellow on the lower 
surface. The dorsal surface is strongly marked with large shining jet- 
black piliferous spots, more or less distinctly relieved by a paler border, 
and there is a median double pale line in well-marked individuals and 
a lateral single whitish line, while below this line the piliferous spots 
are lighter. The head is dull gray, mottled with brown. The hairs 
proceeding from the tubercles are mostly single and black; some are 
in pairs, and those of the dorsal surface are surrounded by a small 
area of white, and of the ventral surface by a much larger area. Just 
before transformation larvae become paler yellow. The length when 
full grown is a little less than an inch (21-23 mm ). 
ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE BEET WEBWORM. 
(Loxostege sticticalis Linn. ) a 
For some reason writers on this species, which is shown in fig. 10, 
appear to have overlooked the fact that it is not native, but intro- 
duced from abroad, presumably on the Pacific coast, whence it has 
found its way eastward to Colorado and Nebraska. From specimens in 
a The following synonymy has been indicated by Hampson (Proc. Zool. Soc. 
Lond., 1899, p. 211): 
Phlyctamodes sticticalis Linn. Faun. Suec., 1354. 
Pyralis fuscalis Hiibn. Pyr. f., 45. 
Pyrcdis tetragonalis Haw . Lep. Brit., p. 385. 
Pyralis lupulina CI. Icon.; pi. ix, f. 4. 
The species is mentioned by Kaltenbach as Botys sticticalis Linn., and Meyrick 
(Handb. Brit. Lep., 1895, p. 418) preserves the better-known name of Loxostege 
sticticalis Linn. 
