83 THE EEPOKT OF THE No. 36 



Previous Outbreaks. 



In the annual report of the Entomological Society of Ontario, for 1896, 

 Professor J. Hoyes Panton gives details of an extensive outbreak of Army 

 Worms during that season. He also mentions that the Army Worm was reported 

 as present in Eldon Township, Victoria County in 1833, common in many 

 places throughout the Province in 1861, and doing considerable damage in the 

 counties of Lamhton and Victoria in July, 1894. 



The 1896 outbreak was extremely extensive. An examination of Prof. 

 Panton's map will show the distribution. As would be expected he has no records 

 of occurrence in New Ontario. A comparison of the 1896 and 1914 outbreaks in 

 Old Ontario shows a striking similarity of distribution. A notable exception is 

 Brant 'County. There is no record of occurrence in Brant County in 1896, whereas 

 in 1914 it was the seat of the heaviest infestation. Since Brant County contains 

 large areas of admirable breeding grounds, this apparent non-occurrence in 1896 is 

 diflfieult of explanation. 



In 1896 the Army Worm was reported from 39 counties and 118 townships; 

 ill 1914 from 42 counties or districts and 234 townships. 



Food Plants. 



The following are the cultivated plants on which the larvte fed during 1914, 

 arranged in order of preference : pasture grasses, timothy, oats, corn, millet, 

 barley, wheat and rye. 



The greatest part of the feeding was on these grasses and cereals. Beets 

 and mangels were largely free from attack ; so also were potatoes, tomatoes and 

 buckwheat. The various legumes were also practically exempt. In some cases 

 the white clover in a pasture field was eaten to a limited extent, but not till 

 after the grasses were entirely devoured. The writer examined numerous pea 

 and hean fields in which the worms were present in large numbers, but in none 

 did he see any signs of injury to the crop. 



Numerous weeds and wild plants were devoured with varying degrees of 

 avidity. No feeding on the foliage of trees' was noticed, although the larvae were 

 observed at considerable heights on trunk and branches. 



Feeding Habits. 



During bright weather the worms lay inactive to a great extent during the 

 heat of the day, taking refuge beneath sods, loose sticks, stones, etc. At about 

 four o'clock in the afternoon they became active, and where they were present 

 in large numbers, moved off to new feeding grounds. Feeding appeared to take 

 place largely during the late afternoon and evening — but during dull weather 

 the worms fed all day in numbers. 



The manner of feeding varied considerably with different plants. In pastures 

 the worms devoured all the green grass, leaving only the dead grass from the 

 previous year, so that the ground appeared bare and brown. In timothy fields 

 the leaves and heads were eaten, only the bare stalks remaining, so that in badly 

 infested fields the crop was practically a complete failure. Although the leaves 

 of oat plants were eaten to a considerable extent, much of the feeding seemed 

 to be in the head, in the course of which the grain was cut off, so that the yield 

 was often greatly reduced even though the infestation might not be very heavy. 



