CUTWORMS AND ARMY-WORMS 297 



References 



111. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 60, pp. 496-497. 1900. 



Essig, Insects of California (Ed. 2), pp. 401-402. 1915. 



The Semi-Tropical Army-Worm 



Prodenia cridania Cramer 



The semi-tropical army-worm ranges from Georgia, Florida 

 and Texas southward through Central America and the West 

 Indies to Argentina. In Florida it has been reported as in- 

 jurious to tomato, potato, sweet potato, eggplant, pepper, 

 okra, collard and cowpea. The caterpillars commonly climb 

 the plants on which they feed and when abundant may assume 

 the army-worm habit. 



In this species breeding is almost continuous throughout 

 the year, there being four or more generations annually. The 

 moth has an expanse of about li inches. The front wings are 

 dull gray, sprinkled and dotted with brownish and black. The 

 hind wings are pearly white. The eggs are laid in irregular 

 masses, sometimes in two layers, and are covered with whitish 

 down from the female's body. The egg is about to inch in 

 diameter, hemispherical, finely ribbed and pale green in color. 

 The eggs hatch in about six days and the caterpillars mature 

 within three weeks. The full-grown larva is 1 to li inches 

 in length and varies in color from dark grayish to nearly black. 

 It is marked with a median, subdorsal and lateral yellow 

 stripes. The mahogany brown pupa, about f inch in length, 

 is to be found in the ground a few inches from the surface. 

 The insect passes about ten days in this stage. 



Reference 

 U. S. Bur. Ent. Bull. 66, pp. 53-70. 1909. 



