. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. 98 NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 55 Carlsbad, 50 miles south of, along highway 180, near Guadalupe Canyon, 2 cf d^, 9, June 26, 1964, Eyer collector (JRE); 5 d'd', June 26, 1964, Eyer collector (USNM). Socorro Co.: Gran Quivira National Monument, 6600 feet, 9, July 1-3, 1964, Davis collector (USNM). Described from a total of 17 males and 88 females. Recorded host.—None. Larva possibly may be a borer in Nolina or Agave. Distribution (map 16).—This species ranges rather widely through the southwestern United States from New Me
. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. 98 NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 55 Carlsbad, 50 miles south of, along highway 180, near Guadalupe Canyon, 2 cf d^, 9, June 26, 1964, Eyer collector (JRE); 5 d'd', June 26, 1964, Eyer collector (USNM). Socorro Co.: Gran Quivira National Monument, 6600 feet, 9, July 1-3, 1964, Davis collector (USNM). Described from a total of 17 males and 88 females. Recorded host.—None. Larva possibly may be a borer in Nolina or Agave. Distribution (map 16).—This species ranges rather widely through the southwestern United States from New Mexico west to southern California. More than likely, it also occurs in certain areas of northern Map 16.—Distribution of Mesepiola specca. Discussion.—^An interesting structure exists in the females of M. specca that is apparently unique for the family. This is a peculiar, strongly sclerotized, hooklike process projecting from the apex of the seventh abdominal tergite (fig. 113). It is unHkely that such a process has developed without serving some function; possibly, some use may be made of it during oviposition. For example one obvious advantage for which it might be used would be to engage some part of the host plant so as to anchor the moth better during insertion of the ovipositor. The Hfe history of Mesepiola specca is not known, although there is reason to suspect that the larva may be a borer in the flower stalks of Nolina. This suspicion is based primarily upon a single female specimen collected by Charles Dammers near El Toro, Cahf., in the flowers of Nolina parryi. Such records of the adults can be misleading at times, although often they are of some significance for the Prodoxinae. During the summer of 1964, the author searched for prodoxine larvae in the flower stalks of Nolina microcarpa S. Watson over parts of southeastern Arizona, as well as in the stalks of a related plant, Dasylirion wheeleri S. Watson. No evidence of larvae were found, although
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