Article beginning on page 271.
Psyche 4:271-285, 1883.

Full text (searchable PDF)
Durable link: http://psyche.entclub.org/4/4-271.html

The following unprocessed text is extracted from the PDF file, and is likely to be both incomplete and full of errors. Please consult the PDF file for the complete article.

PSYCHE.
THE INSECTS OF BETULA IN NORTH AMERICA.
BY ANNA KATHERINA DIMMOCK, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (Concluded from ft 243.)
Amfihidasys cognafwia Guen6e (Hist. nat. d. ins., 1857, v. 9, Uran. et phal., v. I, p. 208). Cramer (Bull. Brooklyn entom. soc., Aug. 1883, v. 6, p. 48) briefly describes the eggs of this species, of which about five hundred were deposited 3 June. Bowles (Can. entom., April 1871, v. 3, p. 11-12) (Ann. rept. Entom. soc. Ontario, 1871, p. 38-39) describes a vari- ety of the larva which fed on "black currant" [Ribes ?iiigrtm], and Goodell (of. cit., April 1878, v. 10, p. 67) describes another variety which fed on apple and pear. Lintner (En- torn. contrib., no. 3, 1874, p. 166) briefly de- scribes the larva, giving Acer as food-plant, and Packard (Guide study ins., 1869, p. 322) gives a few notes on the larva, which he states feeds upon Ribes uureumy R. ^g}'os.daria, and Spiraea ?fomentosa. Pilate (Papilio, May 1882, v. 2, p. 71) gives " honey-locust" ( Gieditschia t14acantkos ) as food-plan t. Lintner (Entorn. contrib. [no. I], 1869, p. 64) gives plum as food-plant.
To the above
food-plants may be added Betula alba, B. lenta, Cnstanea vesca, Salix, and Spiraea sorbifolta. The larva varies from pea-green to brownish grey or even brownish black in general color; as far as noticed the green form is from Ribes, Salix and Spiraea, while those from apple exhibit all the color varia- tions; on Betula and Castama the larvae are grey. Similar variations have been noticed in the larvae of Amfkidasys betularicz, a European species. The larvae often rest in a partially twisted position, with their rigid bodies at a considerable angle from the stem to which they cling, thus imitating very closely twigs and petioles. The larvae are common in New England in July and August ; they pupate from the latter part of July to September, the pupa hibernating under
leaves and rubbish.
Cymatofhora crefziscuZaria Treits
(Schmett. v. Europa, 1827, v. 6, pt. I,
p. 190). Goodell (Can. entom., Apr. 1878, v. 10, p. 67) has described the larva of this species from a single specimen taken on
plum, 30 May; pupation took place 6 June, and the imago emerged 19 June. In Europe this very variable larva has often been reared. Herr (Anleitung d. schmett. u. raupen . . . 1833, pt. 2, p. 272) gives a good description of the larva, and states that its food-plants are AqiiiZegia. Salix, Po@lus, Ainus, Ulmus, Spartitim, and Sa~izbucus. Kaltenbach (Pflan- zenfeinde, 1872, p. 614-615) writes "A very common geometric! whose larva is very dif- ferently marked according to its food-plant. On SaZh Borkliausen found it brownish-
green, on Italian poplar grey-green, on Ainus brownish-grey, on Ulmus lighter green than on Salix, on Sambiicus grey-brown, etc.
Treitschke's specimens reared on plum were yellowish. Pupation takes place under the ground; the moth appears in two genera-
tions, in spring from hybernated pupae and again in July. The larvae appear in June and in Septmnbei-." Kaltenbash (of. cz'f., p. no, 234, 303, and 435) adds the following to previously mentioned food-plants : Betula aZba, Genista, aierczis, Rubtis, Lonicera, and Ligustrum. The larva of this species is common on Betuin alba in eastern Massa-
chusetts, where it is found ready for pupation as early as the middle of June. Of three larvae taken 12 Aug. 1882, one pupated 29 Aug. and hibernated as pupa, developing an



================================================================================

'HE. [ April-June ~88s.
imago the next spring; another pupated 2 Sept. and died later, and the third pupfed 2 Sept, and the imago appeared 28 Sept. of the same year. Two annual broods of larvae are therefore probable in New England, as in Germany, but part of the second brood ap- parently emerge and oviposit in late autumn, while the rest hibernate as pupae.
ParajAia sidatofftaria Guen&e (Hist. nat, d. ins., 1857, v. 9, Uran. et Pha!,, v. I, p. 272). A larva taken on Beiuio. alba, at Belrnont, Mass., 12 Aug. 1882, pupated 19 Sept. and a male imago emerged 8 Oct. 1882. This larva was mistaken for 6 young larva of Cymato- $bra crejuscularia. Another larva, taken on the same species of plant, at Cambridge, Mass., 10 Sept. 1882, pupated 27 Sept. and produced a female imago 28 Oct. 1882. A
third larva taken in Cambridge, an the same plant in the fall of 1883, pupated, and would have hibernated as pupa had it not been kept in a warm room ; the moth emerged during the winter. Packard (Moil. geom. moths
V. S., 1876, p. 418) writes "The moth has been raised by Mr. W. Saunders, of London, Canada, from a 'brown geometric larva on the pine, the imago appearing June 24th'." Ejkyra fendulimriu Guende (Hist. nat.
d. ins., 1857, v- 9, Uran. et phal., v. I, p. 414). Packard (Mon, geom. moths U. S., 1876, p. 363-364) gives a description, by S. H. Scud- der, of the larva and pupa of this species; the larva fed on Comptonia usplenifolia. A larva of this species, taken on Betula alba, at Wachtisett, Mass., 26 Aug. 1882, pupated 28 Aug., and the imaga appeared 14 May 1883. Anagoga ~ulveraria Linn. (Syst. nat,,
1758, ed 10, p. 521). Herr (Anleitung d. raupen d. deutsch. schmett., 1833, p. 284) de- scribes larva and pupa, and gives Sdx cerea as food-plant of this species. Kaltenbach (Pflanzenfeinde, 1873, p. 571 and 598) gives Salix and Befula as food-plants. Packard (Mon. georn. moths, 1876, p. 488-489) quotes Merryfield's de~crintion of the larva, and states, on authority of Goodeli, that the iarva is found on Corylus.
Endro$a armataria Herrich-Schaeffer
(Samml. nsuef ad. wealg bekannter ausser- eur. scbrnett., ISSO-1858, pi. 65, fig. 373-374). Saunders (Can, entorn., Oct. 1871, v. 3, p. 130-131) (Ann. rept. Entom. soc. Ontario, 1871, p. 38) describes the larva of this species wh'ich he found on species of Ribes. A fe- male of this species taken 15 June 1883, in Cambridge, Mass., was confined over fresh twigs of Acer, Rih rubrum and I?. uuream. On 18 June she laid two rows of elongated, flattened eggs upon a leaf of Acw; their color was Sight green, but by 20 June they had be- come shining carmin-red, which later be- came dull-red. The eggs were 0.7 Him. Song, 0.5 mm. wide and 0.4 mm. high, and were
placed closely eide by side in rowe, and gummed to the leaf. They hatched 27 June. The larvae would not readily eat leaves of Rib, but ate, in order of preference, leaves of Bet̤l d6a, of Acer, and of apple. One pupated a Aug. 1883 and the imago appeared 19 Aug. 1883; the second pupation occurred 6 Aug. 1883, but the imago did not appear until 3 June 1884; two more pupated 17 Aug. 1883, both of which produced imagos about 7 June 1884. In this case, of the four larvae which succeeded in producing imagos, all were subjected as nearly as possible to equal conditions, being reared in the same jar, upon the same plants, which were kept fresh with their stems in water, yet one of the im- ago8 appeared the same fdl, only seventeen days after pupation, while the three others remained about ten months in the pupal
state. Those reared by Mr. Saunders hiber- nated ah pupae..
E v i a uhiuria Linn.
(Syst. nat., 1758,
ed. 20, p. 519) f= S. maynaria Guende].
The eggs of this species are flattened, oblong, 1.1 mm. l0ng~o.6 mm, wide,and 0.5 min. high. They are of a greenish-brown, somewhat
polished bronze color, and when laid upon a ~mooth surface are arranged side by side in a curve having the length of the abdomen of the female moth for its radius. When laid upon bark and rough surfaces the eggs are in



================================================================================

April-June iSS5.1 PSYCHE. 2 73
broken, short rows. A single female deposits from maple. These larvae, having molted at five hundred to six hundred eggs. Oviposi- least four (probably five) times, pupate from tion takes place in September and October, the latter part of July to the end of Septem- and the eggs hatch in May and June, hiber- ber; the pupal state lasts from eighteen to nation taking place in the egg state, as is the twenty days, the imagos flving from the case with some other species of mnetridae. middle of September until the last of October -
Heliins (Entom. mo. mag., Mar. 1870, v. 6, p. 222) gives similar dates for oviposition and hatching in England. The larva and pupa
are described by Herr (Anleitung d. raupen. d. deutschen schmett., r833. p. 258) who eniim- crates the following food-plants : Beiulq Al- nus, Corylus aveiiana, Car-pinus lietwius, Ulmus, apple, pear, stone-fruit, and Tilia. Herold (Teutscher raupenkaknder, 1845, p. 135) gives Fag-us in addition to the above- mentioned trees. Harris (Entorn. corresp., 1869, p. 320) gives notes on different stages of this species. Kaltenbach (Pflanzenfeinde, 1872, p. 89. 218, and 553) adds Acer, Rosa and Pojwius 8s food-plants. Lintner (En tom. contrib., 'no. 3, 1874, p. 165), in a note on Bugonia muparia, gives Syringa vulywis
as food-plant. Packard (Men. geom. moths, 1876, p. 530) quotes descriptions of larva and pupa by Goodell and by Scudder ; the former entomologist gives Cusiaaea vesca, and the latter Betda led@ as food-plant. Roiiast (Annales Soc, linn, deLyon,ann. i8Sa,tt883], v. 29, p. 340) adds ffuercaa roSw to the food- plants. Packard (Bull. no. 7, U. S. entom. coimm., 1881, p. 92) repeats Goodell's descrip- tion of the larva and pupa, adds one of the moth, and further remarks that Scudder's de- scription "is so different from Mr. Goodell's ' that I fear it refers to a different insect." This is not, however, the case, but the larva is
very variable in coloration. Worthington (Can. entom., Jan. 1878, v. 10, p. t6) writes, '-This larva evidently changes its color some- what with different food, as these [larvae] closely resemble the bark of this tree
[maple]." The general coloration may vary to match that of the bark of the tree on which the larvae feed, but the head, which is the part of the larva that varies most, is slate- grey, green, or dull red in specimens taken in New England. The larvae are not rare
upon Seiula alfia and 23. Idea.
Cdocala rdicta Walk. (List lep. ins. Brit. mils., 1857, pt. 13, p. 1192-1193.) Bunker (Can. entom., May t883, v. 15, p. loo) states that Papulus is the favorite food-plant of the larva of this species. Hulst (Bull. Brooklyn entom. soc., July 1884, v. 7, p. 48) says "Food-plant, white birch and silver poplar ; and probably all species of Betula and Pofu- Zns." The same author (2. c,, June 1884, v. 7, p. 15-16) gives structural characters and habits of the larvae of Catmala, The Euro- pean C. fraxini, regarded by some authors to be a synonym of C. relicta, feeds, as larva, on Po$uins, Beisla, Acer, Ulmus, Suercus, and Ffastinus. C. relicts has been reared by G : Dimmock, in Springfield, Mass., from a full-grown larva taken under circumstances which made it almost certain that its food- plant was Acer-
Bre$JtM infans M6schler (Wien. entorn.
monatsschr., Mar. 1862, v. 6, p. IW~$, p!. I, 6s. 6). Harris (Entom. corresp., 1869, pi. I, fig. 4) figures the imago of this species. Lintner (Entom. contrib., no. 4, tS^S, p. 227- 239) gives notes upon the habits of the imago . which render it almost certain that the larva feeds upon Betala. The larvae of the Euro- pean species of this genus feed upon Befala alia, the larva of Brc/hos jarthenias living between leaves that it spine together upon high twigs. The imagos of B. infuns are
not rare about Betula alba, extremely early in the spring, both in eastern and western Massachusetts.
Orihosia instabilis Fabr. (En tom. syst., 1793, v. 3, p. rg) [= Taeniacmnja incerta Hiibn.]. Kalbenbach (Pflanzenfeinde, 1872, p. 429-430, 550,640) gives the following food- plants for the larva of this species in Europe :



================================================================================

Apple, Ulnztis, Tilia, Sdix, .$+wczts, Fraxi- nus, Betala a h , Populns and C winits; to this list Rouast (Annales Soc. linn. Lyon, ann. 1882, [1883], n. s., v. 29, p. 315-316) adds Amyg'dalzis commuizis~ Crataegzis oxyacantha, and Centaurea jacea.
Afatela xyliniformis Guen. (Hist. nat. d. ins., 1852, v. 5, Noct., v. I, p. 56).
Thaxter
(Papilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 17) states that the larva of this species feeds on Betz~la and blackberry [_I!ubzts].
A$atela brnmosa Guen. (Hist. nat. d. ins., 1852, v. 5, Noct., v. I, p. 52). Thaxter (Pa- pilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 17) states that the larva of this species feeds on Betula, SizIix, and Pofulns.
A$atela dactylina Grote (Proc. Sost. soc. nat. hist., April 1874, v. 16, p. 239). Thaxter (Psyche, May-June [9 July] 1877, v. 2, p. 35) gives Betula and Salix as food-plants of the larva of this species.
Afatela ame~icuna Harr. (Rept. ins. injur. veg., 1841, p. 317). Harris (of. cif., p. 317- 318) describes the larva and cocoon of this species : he writes, " The caterpillar eats the leaves of the various kinds of maple and sometimes also those of the elm and chest- nut." The same author (Treatise on ins.
injur. veg., 1862, p. 436-437) figures larva, pupa, and imago of this species and adds Tiliu to the food-plants; and (Entom. cor- reap., 1869, p. 311) again describes the larva. In Amer. entom.. April 1869, v. I, p. 166, this species is stated to feed on Popuhis &data and P. monilifera, and Riley (2nd rept. state entom. Mo., 1870, p. 121) gives Betitla and Almis as food-plants. Coquillett (Papilio, Jan. 1881, v. I, p. 6) describes the larva, and gives red oak (qz1e7*cus) as food-plant. Thax- ter (Papilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 17) adds Ju- glans, Fm&s and Plataniis to the recorded food-plants.
Afatela vztl/im~ Grote (Can. entom., Jan. 1883, v. 15, p. 8-9). Thaxter (Papilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 14-11;) describes the larva of this species, and gives Po$tilus and Betitla as food-plants.
A$atela spinigera Guen. (Hist. nat. d. ins., 1852, v. 5, Noct., v. I, p. 45).
Thaxter (Psy-
che, March-April [24 Sept.] 1878, v. 2, p. 121-122) describes the larva of this species . and gives a5 food-plants Riibus and Betda. Afatela occidentalis Grote and Rob. (Proc. Entom. soc. Phil., May 1866, v. 6, p. 16). The larva of this species is described by Harris (Entom. corresp., 1869, p. 31 I-312), who found
it feeding on plum, cherry, and
Pyrns americana. Lintner (Entom. contrib. [no. I], 1869, p. 62) adds apple to the food- plants. Saunders (Can. en tom., March 1872, v. 4, p. 50) describes the larva. Packard (Papilio, Nov.-Dec. 1882, v. 2, p. 181) briefly describes the larva and pupa.
Thaxter (Psy-
che, May-June [g July] 1877, v. 2, p. 35) gives Ubms as food-plant.
A specimen taken on
Betala lutes, at Wachu&ett, Mass., 26 Aug. 1882, pupated 30 Aug., and the imago appear- ed 12 June 1883. This larva, which also ate Betula alba, did not entirely agree in colora- tion with Saunders' description.
Charadra 'profi7zqztiZi~zea Grote (Trans. Amer. entoin. soc., Jan. 1873, v. 4, p. 293-294). Goodell (Papilio, Feb. 1881, v. I, p. 15) de- scribes the larva of this species and gives 'white birch" as food-plant. Thaxter (Papilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 11-12) gives notes on the larva, which feeds on Betula, Juglans, Acer and +erczis.
Chaizdra dei-idem Guen. (Hist. nat. d.
ins., 1852, v. 5, Noct., v. I, p. 35-36). Saun-
ders (Can. entom., Sept.-Oct. 1870, v. 2, p. 145-146) describes the larva, and Lintner (Entom. contrib., no. 3, 1874, p. 157) figures- and describes it. Thaxter (Papilio, Jan. 1883, v. 3, p. 11-12) describes the egg, the seven larval stages, and the cocoon ; the larva feeds upon red oak (^uercr~s), Betulci and U~PZ?~S. Cossus sp. Lintner (Entom. contrib., no. 4, 1878, p. 244-245) states that the larvae of a Co.w~s, the pupal cases of which prove to be those of some as yet undescribed species, bore in the wood of Betula fopulifolia.
Gastroficha a?~ze/4cana Harris (Rept. ins. njiir. veg., 1841. p. 273-274). This author



================================================================================

April-June 1885.1
PSYCHE.
(7. c., and Treatise on ins. injur. veg., 1862, p. 377-378) briefly describes the larva, which he states feeds upon apple, and, on authority of Abbot, upon ^>uercus and Fraxi?ms. Lint- ner (Entom. contrib. [no. I], 1869, p. 193), ln a note upon the larva, gives Betula as food-plant, and later (Entom. contrib., no. 3, 1874, p. 154-155) describes the larva, which he states to feed on Bet* lenta and Acer. Lyman (Can. entom., Aug. 1874, v. 6, p. 158) describes the eggs of this species.
Clisiocam&z silv(ltica Harris (Rept. ins. injur. veg., 1841, p. 271-2721 [= C. fistria Hubn.]. Harris (09. cit., p. 272) describes the larva of this species, giving as food- plants, aercus, Juglans and apple ; later (Treatise on ins. injur. veg., 1862, p. 375-376, pi. 7, fig. 18-19) he repeats the description, and adds a colored figure of the larva and imago, adding wild cherry to the food-plants ; again he describes (Entom. corresp., 1869, p. 292) the larva. Morris (Synop. lepid. N. A., 1862, p. 326) quotes Harris's descriptions (1841) of the larva and imago. Riley (Amer. entom., July-Aug. 1870, v. 2, p. 261-265, and 3rd rept. state entom. Mo., 1871, p. 121-127) describes eggs and egg-mass, larva and irn- ago, giving, in addition to the food-plants mentioned above, Fraxi?zus, Tilia, Rosa. Carya, plum, and peach. Saunders (Can.
entom., July 1872, v. 4, p. 134) repeats Riley's figures, and (4. cit., Aug. 1877, v. 9, p. 159) gives another figure of the larva, adding Acer, Crataegiis and P q x s to the food- plants; later Saunders (09. cit., Feb. 1878, v. 10, p, 21-23) gives notes on the eggs of this species and of C. americarza, and on the de- struction of these eggs by mites. Packard (Bull. 7, U. S. entom. comm., 1881, p. 40-41) figures egg, larva, and imago, and describes the larva and the male and female imagos. The larva of this species eats leaves of Betula alba.
Anisota senatorui Abb. & Smith (Nat. hist. lepid. ins. Ga., 1797, v. 2, p. 113, pi. 57). Harris (Rept. ins. injur. veg.. 1841, p. 291- 292) describes the larva, pupa, and imago of this species; the larva, he states, feeds upon white and red oaks [?uercus sp.]. Morris (Synop. lepid. N. A., 1862, p. 231) describes the larva and imago. Harris (Treatise on ins. injui-. veg., 1862, p. 405-406) figures and describes larva, pupa, and imago, and (Entom. corresp., 1869, p. 298, pi. 2,'fig. 9, and pi. 4, fig. 12) gives a colored figure of the larva and a black one of the pupa. Riley [?I (Amer. entom., Sept.-Oct., 1869, v. 2, p. 26) states that the larva eats raspberry [Rzbus sp.]. Lintner (Entom. contrib., no. 2: 1872, p. 51- 52) describes the early stages of the larva, which, he writes, has four molts (five stages), and feeds on ^>n,ercns frinoides. Packard (Bull. 7, U. S. entom. comm., 1881, p. 45) briefly describes the larva, and gives a few notes upon its habits. The larva feeds on Betula alba.
Hyperchiria io Fabr. (Syst. entom., 1775, p. 560).
Harris (Rept. ins. injur. veg., 1841,
p. 283-285) describes the larva and male and female imagos; later (Treatise on ins. injur. veg., 1862, p. 393-396) he adds to the descrip- tions figures of the larva, pupa, cocoon, and male and female imagos ; and still later (En- tom. corresp., 1869, p. 295-297) he gives a more extended description of the larva.
Morris (,Synop. lepid. N. A., 1862, p. 220) briefly describes the larva. Packard (Guide study ins., 1869, p. 299) gives brief notes on this species, under the name of Hy-perchiria varia Walker. Bethune (Can. entom., Oct. 1869, v. 2, p. 19-20) briefly describes the larva, and Minot (of. cit., Nov. 1869, v. 2, p. 28-29) describes egg and larva without recognizing the species. Lintner ('Entom. contrib., no. 2, 1872, p. 146 149) describes the egg, the six larval stages, the pupa, and the cocoon. Riley
(5th I-ept. state entom. hfo., 1873, p.
133) describes egg, larva in its six stages, co- coon, and imago of this species, figuring larva and male and female imagos; and (Can. en- torn., June 1873, v. 5, p. 19) describes the egg in detail. Reed (Can. entom., Dec. 1874,



================================================================================