INJURIOUS TO CUCUMBER, SQUASH AND MELON 131 



The earlier squash vines should be removed and destroyed 

 before many worms have reached maturity on them. The 

 use of squashes as trap crops seems to be the most practicable 

 way of preventing: injury to cantaloupes in many parts of the 

 South. 



References 



Ga. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 54. 1901. 



N. C. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 214, pp. 100-126. 



1911. 



The Melon Worm 



Din phania hyaliiiala T^iniuBUS 



The melon worm is occasionally fonnd as far north as New 

 York, southern Canada and Michigan hut causes little or no 

 injury north of North 

 Carolina. In the south- 

 ern states, it is a serious 

 pest of cantaloupe, 

 squash, cucumber and 

 pumpkin and has been 

 known to injure water- 

 melon. 



The insect passes the 

 winter as pupte in loose 

 silken cocoons in the 

 dead leaves or under the 

 shelter of any convenient rubbish. The moths do not emerge 

 until rather late in the season, in June or July in North 

 Carolina. The moth (1^'ig. 78) has an ex})anse of less than 

 an inch to 1^ inches. ^Fhe wings arc pearly white with a 

 broad shining, iridescent brown band along the front and 

 outer margins. The head and front part of the thorax 

 are brown. The body is silvery white and the tip of 



Fi<;. 7S. — Th(> luolon worm moth (X 2). 



