PYRALlDiE. 
517 
Syngamia includes three small yellow-red moths common in the 
plains. S. abruptaiis, Wlk., has been reared from leaf-rolling caterpillars 
on tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). Bocchoris includes several species of wide 
distribution. The fact that some number of these fragile moths should 
be common to such wide areas, including the tropics of both hemispheres, 
is striking, and one may wonder how they spread so widely. Caprinia 
conchylalis, Guen., is a larger moth, pure white with the forewing edged 
with a costal brown band, the male with a black anal tuft. The whole 
appearance is much like Glyphodes perspectalis , Wlk., which is slightly 
smaller. The larva in Ceylon feeds upon the leaf of Kicksia (Green), and 
on Holarrhena antidysenterica (Grote). 
Filodes fulvidorsalis, Hubn., is a brightly coloured insect with dull 
brown wings variegated with orange. The antennae are long, the abdomen 
long with lateral tufts. The larva is olive green, with black spots and 
white bands, feeding upon Thunbergia. Nevrina procopia, Cram., is a 
striking moth, the base of the wings orange, the outer half dull purple 
with white veins. Dichocrocis punctiferalis , Guen. (Plate L), is a bright- 
yellow black-speckled moth, whose larva destroys the stems and seeds of 
the castor plant, boring in them. It is common throughout the year 
and may be so abundant as to cause much damage. It also feeds on 
kaikar ( Garuga pinnata) fruits in Poona, on Cacao in Ceylon (Green), 
and in mango flowers in Nagpur. 
Nacoleia diemenalis, Guen., has been reared in Pusa from leaf-rolling 
caterpillars on Urid ( Phaseolus mungo). N. vulgalis, Guen., is very com¬ 
mon on pulses during the rains, the larva rolling the leaves and being 
destructive to young plants. Its foodplants include Lucerne, soy bean 
and Phaseolus radiatus. Botyodes asialis, Guen., is a larger orange moth, 
with some clouded markings, and the male with a black anal tuft, whose 
larva is found on the leaves of Ficus. The larva is olive green with black 
spots. Sylepta is a large genus of many species, the larvae being leaf-roll¬ 
ers and feeding upon wild and cultivated plants. S. derogata, F. (multi- 
linealis , Guen.), is the most common, the green larva rolling the leaves 
of cotton, bhindi, hollyhock and other malvaceous plants. This has a 
wide distribution and is a pest in Africa as well as India. (See Mem. 
Agric. Dept., Yol. II, No. 6.) S. lunalis, Guen., feeds on the leaf of the 
grape vine ; the moth is a dull fuscous with faint darker markings. 
