Climbing Cutworms. 665 



The evidence seems to support tlie following brief summary of 

 the life-history of this dingy cutworm so far as we now know it. 

 It hibernates as a half-grown cutworm whicb feeds during April 

 and May, usually becoming full-grown about July 1st when it 

 changes to a pupa in the soil. Apparently about a month and a 

 half is spent in the pupa state, and most of the moths emerge from 

 August 10th to September 6th. The eggs soon hatch, and the 

 young cutworms attain about half their growth before they go into 

 winter quarters. There is but one generation during the course of 

 2, year in this latitude. 



5. The Yariegated Cutworm. 

 Peridroma saucia Hubner. 



This cutworm seems not to have been among those engaged in 

 the destructive work on the peach buds in western New York, but 

 several times we have been called upon to investigate it as a climb- 

 ing cutworm in greenhouses ; it may thus be appropriately discussed 

 in this bulletin. 



Its history and distribution. — It is probably an European insect. 

 The moth was described and figured in 1790 in France* but was 

 not given a scientiiic name until 1816 in Germany. Eleven years 

 later the cutworm was tirst known, and it is now not uncommon 

 throughout Europe. In 1852, the moth was recorded from South 

 America, and in 1859 the cutworm ravaged the tobacco plantations 

 of Algiers in northern Africa. The insect also occurs in Asia and 

 in the Canary and Madeira Islands. 



Its history in this country began in 1841 when Dr. Harris bred 

 the moth from some cutworms found in his garden. It is now 

 widely distributed throughout the United States and the Canadian 

 provinces, and is regarded as one of the most common and de- 

 structive cutworms we have. Almost every year during the past 

 fifteen years it has been reported as doing serious damage in grass 

 or grain fields, in. gardens, in greenhouses, or by climbing grape- 

 vines and fruit or shade trees. 



It is nearly a cosmopolitan insect, but is apparently most 

 numerous and destructive in the United States and Canada; it is 

 rarely mentioned in European economic literature. 



*Erast and Eiigraraiuelle. Papilloiis d'Kurope, v.)l. vii., jj. 65, pi. 278, fig. 455. 

 It was called "La Rubiconde." 



