THE FALL ARMY WORM, OR ‘‘GRASS WORM.”’ | 
for this purpose, and hence the outbreaks usually originate in bot- 
tom land. Sometimes, however, especially in cities, the eggs are laid 
among the grass blades on lawns. The color of the eggs is light 
gray and they are always more or less thickly covered with grayish 
down from the moth’s body. The eggs hatch in from 2 to 4 days 
in the South, but sometimes require 10 days in the cooler climate of 
the Northern States. 
THE CATERPILLAR, OR LARVAL, STAGE. 
The newly hatched caterpillars (fig. 4) are very small and have 
jet-black heads and white bodies. They feed near the surface of the 
ground; thus, although myriads of 
them may be present, they are hid- 
den from sight, and as they con- 
sume comparatively little food at 
this stage of their development Te POM eae ava Be ele 
the farmer does not often become hatched larva, or “worm.” Greatly 
aware of their presence. They feed ¢mlarsed. (Original.) 
first upon the shells of the eggs which have contained them, but soon 
begin to devour the crop. If the infestation is discovered at this 
time it usually can be brought. quickly to an end by spraying with 
insecticides, or by mowing off the crop and then covering the infested 
spots with straw and burning them over. 
Within three or four days after hatching the young caterpillars 
have grown rapidly, turned much darker in color, and have begun 
to do considerable damage to the crop. At this 
time they do not entirely consume the leaves of 
the food plant, but skeletonize them, leaving the 
veins and ribs and whitish patches, which are 
conspicuous when seen against the green of the 
healthy portions of the leaf. The larve may be 
found in a curled position in the leaf sheaths, or 
Fic.5.—The fall army possibly suspended by threads, but more than 
worm : Headoflarva, : 
front view. Greatly likely they will be found on the ground under- 
enlarged. (Original.) neath the injured plant. The prompt application 
of arsenicals at this time is an easy matter, and is very effective 
in controlling the pest. 
From two to three weeks after hatching the caterpillar becomes 
fully grown. It is then striped, nearly naked, and about 14 inches in 
length. (See title-page.) In this stage the fall army worm resembles 
the caterpillar of the true army worm so closely that it is practically 
impossible for the farmer to distinguish them. The caterpillar of 
the fall army worm usually has the front of the head marked with 
a more or less distinct inverted Y (fig. 5), but this character is not 
always sufficiently well marked to serve as a reliable means of iden- 
