26 
INSECTS AFFECTING THE MELON. 
There are two insect pests which seriously damage this crop in Florida — 
a borer and an Aphis — both damaging the crop annually to the extent 
of thousands of dollars. 
THE MELON BORER. 
(. Eudioptis hyalinata Linn.) 
In July the melon crop (Cantaloupes and Musk-melons) is almost 
totally destroyed by the injuries committed by this worm. By the end 
of the month hardly a melon can be found that has not been bored into 
by this destructive pest. 
Distribution. — It is a common and extensively distributed species over 
North America, the West Indies, and South America. Guenee also 
records having received it from French Guiana. 
Its total annihilation is devoutly wished for by growers and lovers of 
good melons, and a preventive from its attacks greatly desired. 
Food Plants. — In several instances I have taken the larvte in Squash, 
but it is almost exclusively confined to the Melon. From two to six 
worms have been taken from a single nutmeg melon. Guenee states it 
is found in Pumpkins, Watermelons, and other cucurbitaceous plauts. 
Now, I have never yet found a borer in Watermelons, aud the statement 
that this worm is found in this fruit must be taken cum grano salis. 
The Larva. — Length eight-tenths of an inch. Color translucent green or pale green- 
ish-yellow, with the head and cervical shield yellowish ; the jaws and surroundings 
of mouth parts black ; from both sides of head issue some hue hairs ; the stigmata are 
yellowish ; the warty tubercles on the different segments are arrauged as in the larva 
of Eudioptus nitidaUs, its nearest ally, only they are neither so prominent nor black, 
but green, and the hairs issuing therefrom are very fine and almost invisible to the 
naked eye ; the legs are the same in both species. 
The Pupa. — This is long and slender, seven-twelfths of an inch in length, yellow- 
brown, darker, and tapering to a point at tail; the wing cases are long and rather 
narrow, and the antennal case is very long, projecting beyond the base of the 8th 
ventral segment. All the segments are well separated, microscopally rugose and 
wrinkled. The pupa is generally inclosed in a loosely-woven web or cocoon made by 
drawing a leaf together. But this is not always the case. In two instances I found 
the pupa loose in the soft pulp of the melou, in the juiciest portion, and it was quite 
lively, twisting its abdomen from side to side and wiggling about like a thing of 
life. 
The Moth. — Wing expanse from one inch and one-sixth to a little over. The wings 
are translucent, pearly white, iridescent, and with a glossy brown-black border; the 
abdomen is also pearly white, excepting the last two segments above, which are black- 
ish, and ends in a tuft of hairs or expanded brush, of a buff color, tipped with white 
and black ; the head aud the thorax above are brown-black, glossy ; the legs are white 
excepting the fore-thighs and tibiae, which are discolored above with buft’-colored 
scales ; middle tibiae armed with two spin'es, one longer than the other ; posterior 
tibiae similarly armed, but with an additional pair in the middle, beneath. 
