Eleventh Report op the State Entomologist 155 



ington, D. C, where the earUest moths of the first brood have been 

 observed about the first of July according to Prof. Comstock, there may 

 be three annual broods of the insect. 



Mr. Gossard observed the first brood of adults at Ames, Iowa, about 

 May 2oth, all disappearing by June 20th; the second brood of moths 

 appeared a little before July 14th and disappeared by August 20th; the 

 third brood was first noticed some time before September 8th, and on the 

 19th of that month the third brood of caterpillars was found feeding at 

 the bases of the leaves near the roots. October 9th some imagoes were 

 noticed, possibly a partial fourth brood, though it is likely they were but 

 belated individuals of the third brood. The moth is frequently taken 

 some distance from clover, and this suggests it may have other food- 

 plants. It has been reared from white clover, Trifoliian repens, and fre- 

 quents some of the Compositae, as HeUa7ithus. 



Exemption of the "Mammoth Clover" from Attack. 

 That the mammoth clover is not attacked by this insect, is an interest- 

 ing statement. Its earlier ripening is, as suggested, the probable 

 explanation of its immunity. This variety also escapes the attack of the 

 clover-seed midge, Cecidomyia legunwiicola^ on the authority of a cor- 

 respondent of the Farmers' Review of Chicago, as it ripens its seed 

 between broods of the clover-seed midge, and tjius escapes that insect 

 enemy {Insect Life, iv, 1892, p. 74). 



Distribution. 



The economic literature of this insect is quite limited. It is probably 

 widely spread, but its injury to the seed is so much like the clover-seed 

 midge that its effect has doubtless been often ascribed to that of the 

 midge — both operating on the clover-heads in the month of June. Thus 

 far it has only been reported from Washington, D. C, Pennsylvania, 

 New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, 

 and now from Indiana. 



Remedies and Preventives. 



The only way known for checking the injuries of the clover-seed cater- 

 pillar, and for reducing its numbers, is to cut the clover early in June,, 

 soon after the first brood of caterpillars have hatched, thereby preventing 

 their progress to maturity, and the development of moths for a second 

 brood. The hay should be shaken but little and stacked soon so as to 

 destroy by stacking as many of the caterpillars in it as possible. 



