104 
is only occasionally damaged. The larva is said to be destructive 
during the summer to Alternanthera out-of-doors, but our own 
observations of its work have necessarily been confined to green¬ 
houses, as we received no notification of its injuries until outdoor 
Alternanthera had been killed by frost. 
Fig. 16. Two Alternanthera plants, one at left in normal condition, the other 
defoliated by larvae of the Alternanthera Worm, Hymeniayersfectalis. 
This insect seems to be generally distributed thruout the 
United States, but so far as we have been able to learn it has 
not heretofore been known to be of economic importance, at least 
not in this country. In Guenee’s account of the species*, a copy 
of which was kindly sent me by Mr. August Busck, the larva is 
noted as feeding on Lilium canadense. 
In early October the potted Alternanthera plants in the green¬ 
house were generally infested, and the brownish moth, with a 
wing expanse of about an inch, was rather abundant, flying about 
the houses on sunny days, but in cloudy weather concealing itself 
in corners, under the benches, or among the plants. They are 
attracted to lights at night to a certain extent. The female lays 
its eggs, flat and singly, on the stent of the plant near the base. 
The egg (Fig. 17), oval, .57 mm. by .82 nun., and transparent 
pale green, is quite inconspicuous on the plant. Its surface is 
slightly convex and covered with microscopical irregular polyg- 
*Spec. Gen. Delt., Vol. VIII, p. 226 . 1854 . 
