226 LEPIDOPTERA 



become fully developed, and drop to the ground by means 

 of silken threads. They enter the ground for pupation and 

 remain in the ground in the pupal stage through summer and 

 fall and winter. 



The fall canker worm is almost the same so far as the life- 

 cycle is concerned, except that the adults issue in fall. In 

 this species the eggs remain over winter and hatch early in 

 spring. Development is quite rapid and pupating is practi- 

 cally the same as for the other species. The wingless con- 

 dition, and the fact that they must crawl up the trees, gives 

 one method of treatment. Anything that w^ill prevent 

 their going up the tree will protect the trees. Bands of tar 



Fig. 176. — Paleacrita rmiata: a, larva — natural size; b, eggs — natural 

 size and enlarged; c, side view of segment of larva; d, dorsal view of same 

 —both enlarged. (From Riley, Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Ag.) 



or oil on cotton will prevent their getting up the trunk of the 

 trees. Small trees may be sprayed with arsenical solution 

 as soon as they begin work in the spring. 



Noctuidse {mvlet moths) include an immense number 

 of common moths and a number of them very important 

 species. The common name for the larval forms is cut worm. 

 They differ from Geometers in adult characters and the wings 

 are not so broad but fall close together on the back, sloping 

 down the sides of the body. The hindwings are quite large 

 but are not marked. The larvae are mostly without distinct 

 coverings of hair, usually smooth and some of them subter- 

 ranean in habit. 



One common and destructive species is the boll Avorm of 

 the South, known in the North as the corn worm or tomato 



