694 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



Fig. 875. — Cucidlia speyeri. 



The hooded owlets, Cucullia. — We have several common grayish 

 moths, in which the fore wings are marked with niimerous irregular 

 dashes of dark color, and in which the 

 thorax is furnished with a prominent 

 tuft of scales. These moths belong to 

 the genus Cucullia. Figure 875 repre- 

 sents Cucullia speyeri. — These insects 

 evidently have the power of moving 

 this tuft of scales; for sometimes it 

 projects forward over the head as 

 shown in the figure, while in other speci- 

 mens of the same species it may be di- 

 rected backward; in this case it is 

 much less conspicuous. The larva) of 

 the hooded owlets feed upon the flowers 

 of goldenrod and other Compositae. 

 The subfamily Hadenin^. — About 370 North American species 

 are included in this subfamily; among them are the following. 



The army-worm, Chphis MnipHncta. — The army-worm is so called 

 because it frequently appears in great numbers, and, after destroying 

 the vegetation in the field where the 

 eggs are laid, marches like an army 

 to other fields. This insect occurs 

 throughout the United States east of 

 the Rocky Mountains and is present 

 every year; but it attracts attention 

 only when it appears in great num- 

 bers. The larva is from 40 to 50mm. 

 long when full-grown, and is striped 

 with black, 3^ellow, and green. The 

 adult is of a dull brown color, marked 

 in the center of each fore wing with 

 a distinct white spot (Fig. 876). In 

 seasons of serious outbreak of this 

 pest it usually appears first in limit- 

 ed areas, in meadows or pastures. 

 If it is discovered before it has spread 



from these places it can be confined by surrounding the field with a 

 ditch, or it may be destroyed by spraying the grass with Paris green 

 water. Ordinaril}^ however, the worms are not observed imtil after 

 they have begun to march and are wide spread. In such cases it is 

 customary to protect fields of grain in their path by suirounding 

 them with ditches with vertical sides ; it is well to dig holes like post- 

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

 worms falling into the ditch are unable to get out, and crawl along 

 on the bottom and fall into these deeper holes. We have seen these 

 insects collected by the bushel in this way. 



The zebra-caterpillar, Ceramlca picta. — Cabbage and other, garden 

 vegetables are often subject to the attacks of a naked caterpillar, 



Fig. 876. — Cirphis unipuncta. 



