24(3 



INSECTS AFFECTING GRASS. 



133, a) between the 



a handsome brown moth (Fi 

 s heaths of grass 

 blades. The young- 

 larva 1 hatch in a week 

 or ten days, and are 

 at first green, but 

 later become orna- 

 mented with longitu- 

 dinal stripes of yel- 

 low, gray, and black, 

 (b). The larva feeds 

 upon the leaves of 

 grass, wheat, oats, rye, 

 etc., and becomes full 



grOWll in about a Fig. 133. Army Worm: a, moth; 6, larva. 



month from the time of hatching. Ordinarily it 

 remains concealed about the bases of grass or grain, 

 feeding there unnoticed, but occasionally the larvae 

 become so numerous that they exhaust their food 

 supplies, and then they are forced to seek other feed- 

 ing grounds. At such times the " armies " appear, 

 and moving in solid masses sweep all grasses and 

 cereals before them. The full-grown larvae enter the 

 ground and pupate in earthen cells, 1 emerging a fort- 

 night later as moths. In southern latitudes there 

 are two or three broods each season, while at the 

 North there are one or two. The insect hibernates 

 both as a moth and larva, although the latter doubt- 

 less predominates. 



The Army Worm has a great many enemies with 



