Life Histories of North American Geometridae—XXI
International Journal of
species has been frequently Diapheromera mesillana sp. nov. LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN GEOMETRIDAE.--XXI. BY HARRISON G. DYAR WASHINGTON D. C.
iaheromera vdii Walsh 1
Proc. ent. soc. Philad. 1
). Originally described from Nebraska 1
since then reported only from that state 1
Virginia Wirt Robinson) 1
Georgia (Morrison) 1
Southern Illinois (Thomas) 1
Man- itoba 1
Dallas Co. 1
Jefferson 1
Iowa (Allen) 1
Lincoln 1
Valentine 1
Sand Hills 1
Nebr. (Bruner) 1
Platte River 1
Nebr. (Hayden) 1
Barber Co. 1
Kans. (Bruner) 1
Dallas 1
Tex. (Boll) 1
Ringgold Barracks 1
Tex. (Schott) 1
Pecos River (Capt. Pope) 1
Albuquerque 1
N. Mex. (Bruner) 1
Sancelito 1
Mex. (Palmer) 1
San Pedro 1
Montelovez 1
Coahuila 1
Mex. (Palmer) 1
Venis Mecas 1
Sierra San Miguelito 1
San Luis Potosi 1
Mex. (Palmer). 1
0 (A. P. Morse)
1 Between Mesilla and Las Cruces , N. Mex., June
'. Slenderer than D.femorata, uniform greenish flavous, the antennae infuscated beyond the basal third, the thorax smooth, vith an obscure median carina; subapical inferior spine of middle and hind femora rather slight. Mesothorax and metathorax (including median segment) of equal length. Seventla and ninth abdominal segments subequal in length and distinctly longer than the eighth, all equal in width and nowhere enlarged, the ninth rather feebly and angularly emarginate, exposing a small, transverse, apically arcuate, supraanal plate cerci about as long as the ninth abdominal segment, rigidly straight, directed backward and not at all downward, slender, tapering, blunt tipped, externally convex, and internally concave. Length of body, 55 mm.; head, 3 ram. antennae, circa 37 mm.; mesothorax, 12.5 ram. fore femora, 14.5 ram. middle femora, ram. hind femora, I3.5 ram.
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LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN GEOMETRIDAE.--XXI.
BY HARRISON G. DYAR WASHINGTON D. C.
ludule mendica Walk. This larva has
proved unusually difficult and for no real
reason. _/ks early as I871 Mr. W. Saunders
published on the first stage, but was unable
to go further as he could find nothing that
the larvae would eat. I have tried the same
experiment with equal ill success, till the
fortunate discovery of the food plant by
Mr. Lucock (Can. ent., xxx, 248, 1898)
rendered the whole matter simple. The food
plant was also independently discovered by
Mr. W. D. Kearfott, who has kindly
presented to me an inflated larva and pupa
shells.
The first stage has been described by
Saunders, the last by Lucock, both briefly
and the pupa has been remarked on by
Hulst and Smith.
/gg. Suspended on a slender silken fibre
which runs from one object to another so
that the egg swings free in the air. In
nature the eggs were found laid on sheep’s
wool stuck on the base of a tree in a pasture,
on horse hair in a similar location and on
spider webs under the edges of rocks.
Elliptical, flattened slightly on tvo sides but not
so much as usual. Reticulations represented
by rather smooth shallow dents, just
indicated. The whole surface besides very finely
but distinctly shagreened, the little flattened
elevations all quite regular, rounded;
slightly shining, pale yellowish, changing to
pinkish yellow; size .8 X .6 X .5 mm. Eggs
from Keene Valley, New York, June sth;
Jefferson Highlands, New Hampshire, June
3oth; Washington, D. C., May 3st.
Stage I. Very long, slender and looping
with great rapidity till the food plant is
found; when disturbed suddenly curl up in
an irregular S-shape and keep still. Of
norreal Geometrid structure, abdominal feet on
joints IO and 3; segments annulate, not
very regularly. Tubercles moderate,
distinct, dark, a little elevated, normal, and ii
in line, iii above and before the spiracle, iv
behind and below it, v sub-ventral; no
subprimaries. Setae short, stiff with small
glandular tips. Head blackish; body sordid
yellowish vhite, rather translucent. After
eating, sordid grayish green, feet pale; no
marks. At the end of the stage a broad
irregularly powdery subdorsal band appears.
Stage II. Head strongly bilobed, round,
flattened before, free from joint 2; black,
lighter on the apices of the lobes before;
width .6 ram. Body moderately slender,
uniform, finely, but not distinctly,
nunerously annulate. Anal flap truncate, notched,
anal feet with small plates; shields
uncornifled, concolorous. Tubercles small, black,
iv on the elongated segments (5 to o), on a
large, rounded, elevated, black base; all
distinct. Setae short, black, club-shaped at
tip. Whitish, faintly green fi’om the food
a broad, diffuse, pulverulent purple-brown
subdorsal band on joints 2 to 3, the feet
also marked slightly with this color and
tubercle iv surrounded by it. Spiracles
black; feet normal.
Stage. III. Head rounded, slightly squared
at apex, not bilobed, erect, free from joint
2; black, whitish marked over the clypeus
and in an erect line to the top of each lobe,
joined by a transverse bar above the clypeus
width .8 mm. Body whitish, speckled by
the distinct, though not large, slightly
(...truncated)