The text below is grayed out because it is not intended to be read. It is a necessarily imperfect OCR of the original and is only used by a search engine.
134
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Acknowledgments
We thank Mr. Michael Shaffer and the authorities of the British Museum (Natural History) for information and the opportunity to study the material discussed. The photograph of male genitalia was made by Mr. T. Stovell, Graphics Unit, Agriculture Canada, with the assistance of Mr. D. H. Kritsch. The drawing of female genitalia was made by Mr. Arthur Smith.
Literature Cited
Guenee, A. 1854. Species general des Lepidopteres. 8. Deltoides et Pyralites.
Paris. Meyrick, E. 1886. Descriptions of Lepidoptera from the South Pacific. Trans.
Entomol. Soc. Lond., 1886, pp. 189-296.
----------. 1933. Pyraustidae. Exot. Microlepid. 4: 393-411.
Munroe, E. 1950. The generic positions of some North American species commonly referred to Pyrausta Schrank (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Can. Entomol.
82: 217-231. ----------. 1976. In Dominick, R. B., et al. The moths of America north of Mexico,
Fasc. 13.2. London. ----------, & A. Mutuura. 1968. Contributions to a study of the Lepidoptera of
temperate east Asia. III. Can. Entomol. 100: 974-985. Mutuura, A., & E. Munroe. 1970. Taxonomy and distribution of the European
corn borer and allied species: genus Ostrinia (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Mem.
Entomol. Soc. Canada, 71.
SCREECH OWL PREYS ON PERIDOMA PLECTA (NOCTUIDAE)
As part of a long term study of populations and mortality of the Screech Owl (Otus asio) I collected a vehicle killed specimen near Oxford, Connecticut on 4 May 1976. Routine measurements were taken and stomach contents analyzed. Eight larvae of the Flame-shouldered Dart, Peridroma plecta L. (Noctuidae) were found among the owl's stomach contents. The P. plecta larvae were fresh and readily identifiable, suggesting that the owl was killed shortly after feeding, but before digestion had begun. Although Bent (1938, U.S. Nat. Hist. Mus. Bull. 168. 482 p.) and others have recorded a variety of Lepidopleran adults and larvae as occasional Screech Owl prey, this constitutes the first record of such for noctuid species. This observation indicates the susceptibility of noctuid larvae to efficient nocturnal predators. It also provides absolute evidence that at least one species of large, avian raptor will feed opportunistically on available insect larvae.
Dwight G. Smith, Biology Department, Southern Connecticut State College, New Haven, Connecticut 06515.