A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 778 
Beet Army-worm. (Laphygma exigua (Hub.)=LZ. macra Guen., 
Noct., i, p. 157; Butler’s List, etc.)* 
Figures 134, a-e. 
This species, which was first recorded by Butler, 1884, as Z. maecra, 
is doubtless one of the common injurious species grouped together 
by the farmers under the general name of “army-worm.” Most likely 
it is the army-worm that injures the common potato to a consider- 
able extent in some seasons. In the western United States it is 
chiefly injurious to the Sugar Beet, but will also feed upon common 
beets, potatoes, onions, corn, and peas, and upon various weeds, 
especially pig-weeds (Amaranthus and Chenopodium), mallows, 
ground plantain, ete. 
a 
z 
ee SS ee 
t = Y= 
LoS 
ts oh ae ae 
Figure 154.—Beet Army-worm and moth (Laphygma exigua); a, moth; 6, e, 
larvee; nat. size; c’, dorsal surface of the segment bearing 1st prolegs, 
enlarged ; d, its head enlarged; e, f, eggs much enlarged; after Chittenden. 
The mature larva has a greenish or olivaceous ground-color, with 
a broad dorsal stripe, dotted and streaked with greenish or blackish, 
darkest in the middle ; two pale stripes on each side, separated by a 
darker band, varying from gray to black, dotted with white ; head 
green, olivaceous, or smoky brown, with three whitish longitudinal 
lines ; feet greenish. Length about 1.3 inch (30 to 34™™), 
The moth is, in general, pale ochreous brown; the round spot on 
the fore wings is pale yellowish ; the reniform spot is less conspicu- 
ous, with a darker center; submarginal line pale; a marginal row of 
dark specks. 
It is an Old World insect, now widely diffused in warm latitudes. 
It is believed that it was first introduced into the United States via 
the Hawaiian Islands and the Californian coast, whence it has 
* For synonymy and a full life-history, see F. H. Chittenden, Bull. No. 33, 
U.S. Agric. Dep., Entomology. New Series. 1902. 
