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NOMENCLATURE. 
Considerable confusion might be caused if one did not have at hand 
a rather full literature bearing upon the classification of the pea moth. 
In a catalogue of Lepidoptera issued by Staudinger & Wocke in 1871, 
two species are placed in the genus Grapholitba, the pea moth being 
represented by nebrltana Tr., with nlgricana Steph., &n& piscina Gn. 
as synonyms. There is also a nlgricana H-S. In Mey rick's hand- 
book of British Lepidoptera, published in 1895, the pea moth is placed 
in the genus Laspeyresia, prdximana Walk, being indicated as a 
synonym, while our other species is listed as Epiblema nlgricana H-S. 
This latter is stated to breed in the buds of Plnus plcea. It is shown 
herewith for comparison with the true pea moth (see fig. 22). 
HISTORY AND HABITS. 
It is somewhat singular, considering the time that this species must 
have been present in America in order to be destructive as early as 
1893, that it has not occasioned losses also in our Northern States. 
Even as early as the date mentioned it was stated to be the principal 
obstacle encountered in the cultivation of the 
pea in Canada, the attack frequently resulting 
in destroying the usefulness of from 10 to 20 
per cent of the crop. 
The full life history of this species has 
not been studied. It is known that the moths fig. 22.-E P ibiema nlgricana h-s: 
fly about sometimes in large numbers around moth < a ^ out three tim es natural 
pea blossoms a short time after sunset. The 
females lay from 1 to 3 eggs on very young pods or ovaries. The 
caterpillar, according to observations in Europe, is hatched in four- 
teen days, and goes into the pod and attacks the seed, the opening 
made in the margin of the pod closing afterwards. Pods thus affected 
usually ripen early. When the pod opens the mature caterpillar 
creeps out and enters the earth, there to spin a cocoon-like covering 
formed of silken threads. Authorities differ as to the state of hiber- 
nation. Miss Ormerod (Manual of Injurious Insects, p. 163) states 
that the larva winters over, and in spring turns to a chrysalis, the 
moth appearing in June, while Dr. J. Ritzema Bos, in his work on 
Agricultural Zoology (London, 1891), says that " the pupa? live through 
the winter." The peas attacked are always covered while in the pod 
with the cross-grained excrement of the caterpillars, and frequently 
two or three are joined together by web fibers. 
Recently it has been ascertained that the pea moth larva does not 
injure to any extent the earliest and latest varieties of peas. 
23987— No. 33—02 7 
