362 FIFTH REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
5. The sulphur-leaf roller-moth. 
Tortrix sulfureana Clem." 
Order Lbpidopteka ; family Tortriciiu-:. 
Drawing together the leaflets of red and white clover and feeding on the tissues, a 
small yellowish-green larva, which transforms into a brownish colored pupa, from 
which emerges a small sulphur yellow moth with purplish red markings. 
We copy verbatim Prof. Comstock's account of this iusect, which he 
reports as feeding on the locust. (See Ag. Rep. for 1880.) 
During the summer of 1879 small yellowish green larva? were found in. considerable 
numbers in the District of Columbia, feeding on red clover (Trifolium pratense), and 
also on white clover (Trifolium repens). The larva? were first found May 13, folding 
the leaflets of red clover into a kind of tube by drawing the edges together with 
silken threads, which was spun for this purpose. Sometimes they spin two leaflets 
loosely together, or to the flower head when they are nearly full grown. They issue 
from either end of this tube, and feed upon the surrounding foliage, of which, when 
the larva} are young, they eat only the under surface, leaving the veins and the 
epidermis of the upper side intact, but when nearly full grown they eat irregular 
holes through the surrounding leaflets and flower heads. 
These larvae are very active when disturbed, and wriggle from their tubes, sus- 
pending themselves by a silken thread, by which they can let themselves down to 
the ground, and if further disturbed, they wriggle about with great energy. 
Some of the larvae changed to pupa? on the 19th of May in folded leaves, which 
they lined closely with silk. The perfect insects began to emerge on the 19th, and 
continued until June 3, when the last of this lot came out. On the 20th of June 
several larva? were found feeding in a similar manner to the above on the leaves of 
white clover on the department grounds. At this time they were less than half 
grown, but transformed to pupae by the first of July, the perfect insects emerging 
from July 5 to 14. About the middle of August more of these larvae were found on 
red clover, some nearly grown, others quite small. These became full-grown in a 
short time, passed their transformation, and emerged as perfect insects from Septem- 
ber 1 to 16. Those which changed to pupae September 1 emerged on the 10th. 
From the data now before us it is more than probable that there are three genera- 
tions in a year in the latitude of the District of Columbia, the first appearing in the 
perfect state about the last of May, the second in the early part of July, and the 
third in the early part of September. One full-grown larva was found on clover 
October 21, and it may be that this species hibernates in the larva state, the same 
as the codling moth. Professor Fernald informs us that he does not think there is 
more than one generation in Middle and Northern Maine. 
Distribution. — These insects are very widely distributed through the United States, 
having been reported from Maine to Florida, and as far west as Texas and Missouri. 
Food-plants. — Besides the plants mentioned above — red and white clover — the larvae 
of this species were found and fed on locust, strawberry, and grape. Some of the 
larvae were also fed upon the cotton plant by way of experimeut. Specimens were 
received from Dr. R. S. Turner, Fort George, Fla., which fed on orange. Mr. B. D. 
Walsh bred this species from the willow gall Salicis-bra88icoide8, in Illinois. 
Xntural enemies. — One of the larvae on clover was found to be infested with a 
Hymenopterous parasite, which, however, failed to emerge. 
* Synonyms. — Croesia t sulfureana Clem.; Conchylis gratana Walk. ; Croesia t fulvo- 
roseana Clem. ; Croesia? virginiana Clem.; Croesia t gaUivorana Clem.: Tortrix aul- 
fureana Robs.; Tortrix (Dichelia) sulfureana Zell. and variety belfrageana Zell. ; 
Cenopis gracilana Wlsm. 
