INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OP CALIFORNIA. 399 



cells, the moths emerging the following spring. This species was 

 exceedingly abundant and quite destructive to' grapevines in the San 

 Joaquin Valley in April. li)14. 



Fig. 399. — Larvae of the common cutworm, Euxoa 

 atomaris (Smith), and work on a grape leaf. Natural 

 size. (Original) 



Nature of Work. — Besides feeding upon the foliage, as do the army- 

 worms, the cutworms also cut off the plants just beneath the surface 

 of the ground. This species attacks the young buds in the spring. 



Distribution. — This is one of the species which attacks the buds of 

 grapevines in the upper San Joaquin Valley. It also occurs elsewhere 

 in the State. 



Food Plants. — Though weeds and garden crops are preferred, the 

 common cutworm is also destructive to the buds and foliage of grapes 

 and prune trees. 



THE BEET ARMYWORM 



Laphygma flavimaculata ( Harvey) 888 

 (Caradrina flavimaculata Harvey) 



(Fig. 400) 



Description. — The adults are mottled gray with distinct light mark- 

 ings on the fore wings. They are about 1 inch in length, with a wing 

 expanse of 1^ inches. The larvae are slender, dark green in color and 

 distinctly striped. 



Life History. — The moths appear during the months of April and 

 June and deposit eggs, the caterpillars hatching out in May and the 



2S8 This species has sometimes been confused with the old world species, L. exigua 

 (Hiibner). (Dyar, H. T., Bui. 52, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 110, 1902.) 



