Eleventh Report of the State Entomologist 



15^ 



"W'hile threshing clover seed this fall, we noticed that a good deal of it 

 had been hulled out like beans eaten by bugs, leaving only a thin hull. 

 This is the first time we have noticed anything of the kind here, and we 

 should like to know what the insect or midge is that does it, and what 

 preventive measures to use to guard against them in the future. I inclose 

 sample of seed as it comes from the huUer. Most of the damaged seed 

 has been blown out by cleaning. 



I might add that it is only what is known with us as the little clover 

 that is thus affected. The big or mammoth clover, that ripens seed from 

 a month to six weeks earlier, does not seem to be touched. We thought 

 it might have been done by some insect that is always with us, but which 

 has increased sufficiently to be noticed by reason of the extreme drouth 

 which we have had continually since June — in fact, there has not been 

 rain enough to lay the dust in all that time. 



One other thing that we are interested in knowing is, will the seed that 

 is saved and sacked be safe from further damage ? We are anxious tO' 

 know about this, as we want to save seed to sow next spring, 



J. W. J. 

 Description of the Insect. 



The insect committing the injury as above reported is known to us in 

 its larval stage, as the clover-seed caterpillar. The moth was described 

 and named by Dr. Clemens in the 

 year i860. The caterpillar was first 

 observed, so far as known, by Prof 

 Comstock, at Ithaca, N. Y., in 1874, 

 and at Washington, D, C, in 1875 ; 

 his description of the larva and pupa 

 is given herewith : 



Larva: Length 8 mm., subcylindri- 

 cal, tapering slightly at each end ; legs 

 and prolegs normal. Color, dirty 

 white, often with a greenish tinge ; 

 head, dark brown, trophi, black ; pro- 

 thoracic shield, yellowish with a brown 

 hind border interrupted in the middle, fig. s.— Grapholitha 

 Body with many delicate whitish hairs. ^|[J^; (Af'^er^OsboTn? ^''^^'^''^'^ '^' "^'^""^^^ 

 The dorsal piliferous tubercles of each 



segment arranged in two pairs, of which those of the anterior pair are 

 closer together than those of the posterior pair. 



FuJ)a: Length, 5 mm., moderately slender. Wing-sheaths extend to- 

 sixth abdominal segment ; antennae and posterior tarsal sheaths ending at 

 tip of wing-sheaths, the tarsal sheaths being a trifle the 

 longer. Dorsum of each visible abdominal segment except 

 the last with two transverse rows of backward-directed 

 teeth, those of the anterior row being the strongest. 

 Anal segment blunt at tip, with six stout blackish excurved FiG.g.-WingofGRA- 

 hooks at its posterior border, two dorsal and four lateral, s",°"™na. (Mter 

 none ventral; also a number of very delicate hooked fila- Zeiier.) 

 ments. General color rather light brown, darker on wing covers and dor- 

 sum of thorax. 



interstinctana: 



