THE TOBACCO BUDWORM' AND ITS CONTROL 

 IN THE SOUTHERN TOBACCO DISTRICTS. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. ' Page. 



Description of the insect in its different stages. 3 



Nature and extent of injury 4 



History and distributionin the United States. 4 



Seasonal history 5 



Food plants 6 



Insect enemies 6 



Control measures 6 



Poison applications 6 



General recommendations 10 



One of the most important insect pests of tobacco, particularly in 

 the South, is the tobacco budworm (fig. 1). The presence of this pest 

 in tobacco fields, even in very small numbers, may result in great 

 damage to the crop. A thorough knowledge by the planter of the 

 correct methods of control of this insect therefore is essential, espe- 

 ciall}^ in areas where the cultivation of tobacco for cigar purposes 

 is practiced. 



Since the results of budworm attack on sun-grown and shade- 

 grown tobacco are the same, the control measures outlined herein 

 apply equally to both. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE INSECT IN ITS DIFFERENT STAGES. 



The tobacco budworm passes through four distinct stages in the 

 course of its development — the egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The 

 eggs are small, whitish, nearly dome-shaped objects, measuring about 

 one-fiftieth of an inch in diameter. They are sculptured with radiat- 

 ing ribs and cross furrows. 



The larva, or worm stage (fig. 1, h, c), is greenish with pale stripes 

 running lengthwise of the body. Small larvfe which have passed 

 through only one or two molts are much lighter in color than those 

 which have fed more extensively and have cast their skins a greater 

 number of times. \Vhen first hatched the larva measures about one- 

 twentieth of an inch ; Avhen full grown and ready to burrow into 

 the soil for pupation it is about an inch and a half in length. 



^ Chloridea rirescens Fab.; order Lepidoptera, family Noctuidae. It was formerly 

 known as Heliothia rhewiae S. & A. 



