234 Forty-fifth Report on the State Museum. 



the food that is destined to nourish them. Sometimes, however,, 

 as in Agrotis saucia, they are placed in long, narrow patches 

 upon small twigs of apple, peach, and other fruit trees, quite 

 removed from their natural larval food. The general time of 

 their deposit is in the latter part of summer. Hatching in a 

 short time, the larvc'e enter the ground and commence to feed 

 upon the young roots of various plants. With the cold of winter, 

 they cease feeding, and bury deeper in the ground, where they 

 shape for themselves an oval cavity in which to pass the winter 

 in a torpid state. In this condition, if undisturbed, freezing 

 fails to harm them. In the early spring they resume their 

 activity, make their way toward the surface, and commence their 

 feeding upon the starting vegetation. 



Within a few weeks they become full grown, when they again 

 bury in the ground, where they mold a cell, or earthen cocoon, 

 in which to undergo their transformation to the pupal state. 

 Two or three weeks are required for this stage, when the moth 

 issues from the rent pupal case, and makes its appearance above 

 ground. The wings, at first small and contracted, are sooni 

 expanded, and the insect has reached its perfect stage. The 

 sexes meet, eggs are deposited for another brood, a little food is 

 partaken of, consisting of the nectar of flowers or other sweets^ 

 and within two or three weeks, ordinarily, if not sooner termi- 

 nated by their many enemies, the life-cycle is completed. In 

 some instances a second brood follows during the summer and 

 autumn, but with most of the species the life-history is as 

 above given. Occasionally the hibernation is in the pupal stage. 



Food-plants. — Many of our injurious insects confine their depre- 

 dations to a single food-plant, or to the members of the same 

 genus, or to closely allied plants. The cut-worm, unfortunately^ 

 is more indiscriminate in its taste; and although certain species 

 show a decided preference for some particular food-plant, yet^ 

 if this is not convenient, other substitutes are readily accepted. 

 When we add to this the varied t^istes of a large number of 

 species it ceases to be a surprise that so many of the productn of 

 our fields and gardens suffer from their aggressioiL 



Their injiiiT to grass is far more serious than is supi>osed. 

 It is believed that the first half of the active life of many of 



