6 



FARMERS BULLETIN 890. 



should be begun as soon as the cotton starts to appear above ground, 

 so that the cutworms maybe elmiinated as quickly as possible and the 

 skips replanted promptly. During the warmer spring months cut- 

 worms do most of their feeding at night and burrow into the soil to 

 the depth of an inch or two during the day, so that the bait usually 



Fig. 2.— a futworm, Agrotix npxilon: a, Larva: b, liead of same; r, adtilt moth. 

 Natural size. (Riley and Howard.) 



will be more effective if applit^l during the late afternoon or early 

 evening. Frequently cutworms migrate to cultivated fields from 

 adjoining grassland, and in such cases the crops can be protected 

 by placing the poisoned bait around the edge of the field or along 

 the side nearest the source of infestation.* 



MAY BEET1ES.2 



In western Texas and Oklahoma several species of May beetles 

 (figs. 3, 4) cause considerable injury to sc^edling cotton plants. These 

 beetles pass the wintcn- 

 in the grub stage in 

 the ground, maturing 

 in the spring. Tlu> 

 wingless species are 

 HV especially likely to in- 

 jure the cotton if it 

 is planted on newly 

 broken fields or fields 

 which W(Te very grassy 

 in the prc^ceding year. 

 These forms, being un- 

 able to fly, must attack 

 the n(>arest V(^getation. Some of the winged 

 species also are reported as injurious to cotton. As has already 

 been pointed out, winter plowing is of assistance in checkhig these 

 beetles. The poisoned baits recommended for cutworms are of value 

 agamst them. 



1 Extracted from Farmers' Bulletin 739. This bait is of value in the control of other pests and will be 

 mentioned several times in this bulletin. 

 » (LachnosUrna) Phyllophaga spp. 



I 



FiG.3.— May beetle, Phyllo- 

 phaga laiweolata. Enlarged. 

 (Sanderson.) 



[G. 4.— May beetle, Phyllophaga 

 cribrosa. Enlarged. (Sanderson.) 



