THE ARMY WORM'-^" 



Owing to the appearance of the army worm in the 

 vicinity, some information concerning its habits and the 

 best methods of preventing its ravages may prove of 

 interest. 



This pest is the larva of a small moth, Leucantia uni- 

 puncta, and receives the name ''army worm" because 

 after destroying vegetation in the field where the eggs are 

 laid marches like an army to other fields. It occurs 

 throughout the United States east of the Rocky Mountains 

 every year, but attracts attention only when present in 

 large numbers. 



The eggs are laid in the Fall by the parent moth and 

 the worm, which is one and one-half inches long when 

 full grown, striped with yellow, black, and green, attains 

 its growth the last of June or the early part of July. 

 Nearly all forage crops are subject to its attack and from 

 the fact that leaves and stems are cut off the damage done 

 is far greater than the loss of the portion which is eaten. 



The most of the injury is done at night while during 

 the day the majority of the worms remain at the surface 

 of the ground. 



If the worm is discovered before it has spread it can be 

 prevented from its journeyings by surrounding the field 

 with a ditch, since it is impossible for the worm to ascend 

 the steep vertical side. It is well to dig holes, like post 

 holes, at intervals of a few rods in such ditches. The 

 worms falling into the ditch have difficulty in getting out 

 and crawling along the bottom fall into the deeper holes 

 where they perish. They can also be destroyed by spray- 

 ing with Paris Green, but it would probably be more con- 

 sistent to save the crop by cutting early. 



"Q" 



^Reprinted from the Bear Lake (Penna.) Record, August IJ, 1896. 



