16 MISCELLANEOUS COTTON INSECTS. 
second from the middle of September through October. The winter is 
undoubtedly passed in the pupal stage, as has been observed farther 
north. Although so common, no thorough study of the life history of 
the species seems to be recorded in entomological literature. 
Food 'plants. — A long list of food plants has been attributed to this 
species. Of these, purslane and chickweed are undoubtedly the favor- 
ites. Chittenden ° states that they feed on sugar beets, tomatoes, and 
apple and prune trees. Dr. Herman Behr ft states that the species is 
nowhere as common as on the Pacific slope, and that in California the 
larvae prefer plants of the family Onagracea?, including Epilobium, 
Boisduvalia, Clarkia, Eucharidium, Godetia, CEnothera. and the intro- 
duced Fuchsia. He sa} T s also that there the insect rarely suffers from 
parasites, and that it easily adapts itself to other* food plants, such as 
Rumex and Portulaca, but is not common on grape. Walsh and Riley 
give as food plants purslane, turnip, buckwheat, watermelons, and 
apple/ and state that the species is commonly attacked by tachina 
flies/' Saunders e mentions the larva as occurring also on plantain. 
There is no previous mention of the species as a cotton pest, though 
planters state that they have frequently noticed the larva?. It is com- 
monly found on grapevines and may be considered as feeding on 
almost all low-growing vegetation. 
Of the methods of control, the most important is that of preventing 
the growth of the weeds upon which the larvae normally feed. . Only 
where these have been abundant does the species become injurious. 
When serious injury is threatened, the caterpillars may be readily 
controlled by dusting or spraying with arsenicals. To destiw the 
pupa?, land grown up in weeds on which the caterpillars were known 
to have been feeding in the fall should be plowed and harrowed 
thoroughly in winter. 
MAY BEETLES. 
LACHXOSTERXA CRIBEOSA LeC. (Fig. 6.) 
Injury hy this species to cotton was first reported by Mr. J. H. 
Burton, of Valleyview, Cooke County, about the middle of March, 
1904. On March 25 the work of the beetles on Mr. Burton's plan- 
tation was observed by the writer. The beetles, which are about 
an inch long and shining black in color, remain in the soil during the 
day, emerging about an hour before sundown, or on a cloudy day at 
about ± p. m. They feed for an hour or two and then reenter the soil. 
« 1903: Bui. 43, n. s., Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agric, p. 41. 
6 1882: Papilio, Vol. II, p. 2. 
^1869: Am. Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 206, 
<i 1870: 1. c, Vol. II, p. 257. 
*1877: Can. Ent., Vol. IX, p. 66. 
