THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



159 



NOCTUID.E (Family). 



ARMY AND CUT WORMS. 



The adult members of this family are practically all night-flyers. The 

 5 oung caterpillars of many are known as cut and army worms and are 

 among the most destructive insect pests, due to their great numbers 

 which often advance from field to field like an army devastating as 

 they go. Like the grasshoppers they attack 

 practically all kinds of plants, including field 

 and truck crops, vineyards and orchards, as well 

 as flowers and weeds. 



The esfgs are laid in the spring by the adults 

 and the larvae become exceedingly numerous in 

 early summer, when most of the damage is done. 

 The pupal stage is passed underground; the 

 light or dark-brown, naked chrysalids being 

 housed in small earthern cells. There are 

 several broods a year. The winter is usually 

 spent in the pupal stage, but some adults also 

 hibernate. 



Control. — The control of these insects has 

 afforded difficult prolilems for years, and even 

 to-day the methods worked out do not always 

 afford the necessary relief. 



Clean culture during the fall of the year and 

 thorough plowing of infested fields to break up 

 the hibernating pupa? cases often greatly reduce 

 the next year's broods. This is especially im- 

 portant in pea fields. 



When the worms begin to march, trenches 

 should be plowed across and ahead of their paths 

 with a perpendicular wall in front of the 

 advance. The worms not being able to cross 



will gather in great masses in these trenches and can be easily killed 

 with crude oil or by crushing with a narrow disk or roller. Arsenical 

 sprays applied as soon as the worms begin to appear will also materi- 

 ally aid in protecting crops like potatoes, tomatoes, young trees, vines, 

 etc., but are seldom practical for forage crops. 



Fig. 140. — A climb- 

 ing cutworm, fuUy 

 matured. (U. S. Dept. 

 Agrcl. ) 



