Entomological Notes. 



327 



the twigs of trees, on which the young larvae feed in the early 

 stages of their growth, and to which it returns on reaching its ma- 

 turity. These e^^s soon hatch out, and the voung worm works 

 its way into the ground, feeding on the tender roots of the plants 

 it may find there. It requires but little nourishment the first 

 season, and as the food is abundant, but little damage is done. 

 When cold weather approaches, the caterpillar burrows further 

 down, curls up and passes the winter in a torpid condition. 

 When warm weather returns, the larva starts out in search of 

 food, and eagerly devours whatever it finds suited to its taste. It 

 soon reaches the surface, nearly mature in size, but with an enor- 

 mous appetite, and speedily lays waste all within its reach, going 

 from plant to plant, feeding at night and lying concealed by day in 

 the earth near at hand. It soon arrives at maturity, and disappears 

 more suddenly than it came, burrowing into the earth for three or 

 four inches, passes into the chrysalis state, where it remains from 

 two to four weeks, then to appear as the parent moth. 



The Western Striped Cut- 

 Worm, Agrostis Siibgolhica, 



ifMiaV corn worm, but which by no 

 means confines its depre- 

 dations to corn alone. It 

 is a general feeder, and will 

 take melons, turnips, cab" 

 Fig. 19. Western Striped Cut- Worm. bag6) tomatoes, young trees, 



tobacco, etc., with equal relish. This species has the reputation 

 of providing for the day's food by dragging the plants cut down 

 at night to its burrow where it lies concealed by day and eats at 

 leisure. Prof. Riley says : " When full grown they are from one 

 inch to one inch and a quarter in length, of a dirty white, or ashy 

 gray color, with three broad dark lines, and two light narrow ones 

 along the side.*, and a light one, edged on each side with a dark 

 one along the middle of the back. This species remains longer in 

 the ground than any of the others, and the moth does not ap- 

 pear till August and September." The wings of the moth are pe- 

 culiarly marked, the lighter portion being of an ashy gray color, 

 and the darker parts of a deep brown. 



V 



