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South Florida, the sections in which the Tomato is more extensively cul- 
tivated, yet studies on insects infesting it in gardens near Jacksonville 
will, I feel assured, prove of interest. 
THE TOMATO WORM. 
(Sphinx Carolina Linn.) 
This is a well-known insect, common in all tomato patches, although 
the moth into which it transforms is seldom seen, and remains totally un- 
known to the great majority of our farmers. When you tell them that 
the worm will change into a large moth, nine times out of ten they ex- 
press surprise and think it a most wonderful piece of information. 
Distribution . — It is quite generally distributed throughout the United 
States, Mexico, the West Indies, and is not uncommon in South 
America. 
Food Plants. — It feeds on Tomato, Potato, Jimpson weed (Datura stra- 
monium), Egg-Plant, Tobacco, and other plants. I took specimens the 
past season feeding on Poke-berry (Bivina Icevis). 
Its Life History. — The Egg. — The egg is spherical, perfectly smooth, and green or 
yellowish-green in color ; diameter about .05 inch. 
The Larva. — When full grown it measures over three inches in length. The head 
and body are dark green, interspersed with greenish-white dots ; it is transversely 
wrinkled ; oblique white or greenish-white lateral bands extend from dorsum to spi- 
racles, edged above with bluish and short transverse black lines. The spiracles, ex- 
cepting the first and last, are blackish, with a yellow dot above and below, all edged 
with blue, the first and last orange yellow. The shield and terminal prolegs edged 
below with yellow ; the caudal horn is reddish-brown towards tip, and the feet are 
white, edged with black. 
The Pupa. — Length one inch and a half. Dark reddish-brown, with coarse punc- 
tures on abdominal segments, and a detached cylindrical thick tongue-case, not 
quite reaching to tip of abdomen. 
The moth is a mottled gray species, with orange spots along the body, 
and lias too often been figured and described to need description here. 
Ds Injuries.— When plentiful the injury done is considerable, and great 
care should be taken to remove and destroy them. They eat the leaves 
and tenderer and terminal shoots, frequently stripping the plant bare, 
whereby the plant is unable to breathe or mature fruit. 
Natural Enemies and Parasites. — I have observed a species of Wasp 
carrying off the young worms to provision its nest. It is also probable 
that the Microgaster and Blacas that attack its nearest ally (Sphinx 
5-maculata) will be found parasitizing this worm. 
A Tachiua fly, a species of Mascicera , has been bred from it in the 
North by Prof. Riley (Fourth Missouri Entomological Report, page 129). 
In June I bred from its eggs Tricliogramma pretiosa Riley, a general egg 
parasite already noticed, and a species of Teleas. Of the former three 
to six specimens issued from each egg; from the latter two to four. 
22340 — No. 14 2 
