746 Report OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST OF THE 
In Europe, according to Curtis,* there is a Plusza ealled the 
Y-moth (Plusia gamma), which ruins the turnip crop in some 
seasons. This is closely related to our cabbage moth. It has 
been noted in France that this species increases more rapidly in 
wet than in dry seasons; also, that it flies in the day-time regard- 
less of the character of the weather. Our native species is surely 
not as partial to wet weather, for it was found quite abundant on 
cabbage near Queens, N. Y., as early as September 10; still the 
cold rains of October and November evidently did not check 
their increase in the least. 
Dr. Thomas, in his Fourth Report on Insects of Illinois, says: 
“ Unlike most noctuids, Plusia flies during the day instead of the 
night.” Other writers state that it flies only at night. Both state- 
ments are probably true. They have been observed the past fall fly- 
ing around radish and mustard flowers in the late afternoon. As 
late as November 5 they were noticed flying around flowers at 
noon, but in all cases those taken at flowers were male moths. The 
females are very shy and were not seen on the wing except when 
frightened from their hiding places. . 
Food plants. Dr. Riley + gives cabbage, Crepis, clover, dan- 
delion, German ivy, Chenopodium, kale, tomato, mignonette and 
dock as food plants. Dr. Lintner {adds turnip, lettuce, celery 
and Japan quince, and has had it reported to him as feeding on 
parsley, heliotrope and Pelargonium. To these may be added 
spinach, on which plant it was found feeding late in October, 
near Jamaica, N. Y. 
Life-history and description. Like the cabbage butterfly 
it deposits its eggs singly on the outer leaves. The eggs are turnip: 
shaped and ribbed, and in color nearly pure white. Figure 3, 
Plate I, shows an egg magnified about 20 diameters. They 
are about the size of a mustard seed. The length of time 
required for the eggs to hatch does not seem to have been noted 
by any entomologist. 
The caterpillars are not provided with prolegs on the sixth and 
seventh segments like most Noctuids, so in traveling over the 



* Farm Insects, by John Curtis, F. L. S., etc., 1860, pp. 88-99. 
+ Bull. No. 6. U. 8. Entomological Commission, 1881, p. 78. 
¢ Second Annual Report Noxious and Other Insects of N. Y., 18&5, p. 91. 
