aan ae iy fi tine Fai ‘ pea i‘ a Die Pie Ee iy) * 1 
na Rael Di a Ri é as Lapa ay ‘ ‘ 
fe rie REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 159 
leaves seemed to be cut and used entirely undigested, and I surmise the materin] is 
cut especially for this purpose and passes directly through the body, to be used on 
the cocoon. 
The moth is of a light ashy color, and fresh specimens show two obscure oblique 
dark stripes passing from the hind border toward the apex on the front wings. The 
wings are folded closely around the body when at rest. The length of the body is 
about one-half inch, and the wings expand an inch and one-eighth to an inch and 
one-fourth. 
_ Remedies.—Under this head we must treat separately the measures to be adopted 
‘ 
for corn and meadows or pastures. 
As corn is attacked only when planted on sod, the damage being done by larvee 
‘hatching from eggs deposited in-grass or by larvee that have partly obtained their 
' growth in grass, all methods of prevention should recognize the time at which eggs 
are deposited and the larvae: mature. 
When the worms are already at work in the corn the cheapest and best method 
is probably to replant, for the larvae must all or nearly all mature by the middle 
of June at latest, and then no further damage need be feared. Reports show that 
this practice was successful, though in many cases fields were planted ‘the third 
time. It would be well in planting on sod plowed late in the fall before to delay — 
planting as long as practicable, thus starving out the majority, at any rate. of the 
worms, and then, if necessary, replanting as soon as possible when hills show pres- 
enceof worms. If possible, however, the plowing should be done early in the fall, 
so_as to prevent the eggs being deposited, or if deposited to starve owt the larvee 
before they have prepared for their winter fast. To be imost effectual the plowing 
should be done before the Ist of September, and if the lund be meadow land not 
used for fall pasture it will be safest to plow as soon as possible after the crop is 
off. When the sod is to be plowed up in spring it should be deferred if worms are 
present till they begin to change to pups, or for this latitude till the 1 iddle of 
May, and should be done before the moths make their appearance, or by the Ist of 
June. Our notes show that here sod plowed in May remained entirely free from 
worms, while that plowed the second week in June, justafter appearance of moths, 
was badly infested. If noticed when they first begin their work on corn it is prob- 
able that the use of bisulphide of carbon would effectually destroy them, but it is 
doubtful whether it would be as satisfactory as replanting. The worms are easily 
detected, since they are to be found in their webs in the day-time, and they can be 
picked out by hand quite rapidly, as [know from experience. Possibly boys could 
be employed to collect them with good profit. These methods should be resorted to 
only in cases where preventive measures have not been employed. Butin this case 
prevention is so easy that there seems little need of trouble from the pest when its | 
habits are, understood. 
In meadows badly infested and thereby run out one method to be adopted, where 
‘circumstances will permit, is to plow up the sod and plant to another crop; but to 
avoid damage to the new crop, especially corn, the sod should be turned before the 
1st of June, if in the spring. and if in fall before the ist of September. If, how- 
ever, the plowing is done prior to the egg-laying either of spring or fall the moths 
will fly to such pastures and meadows as are left and concentrate there, thus causing 
greater damage. On this account some plan should be adopted to prevent, if pos- 
sible, that source of damage. If the land can lie after plowing to starve the worms 
it will be a good plan to defer plowing till eggs are laid and then turn them under, 
to starve. In fact, knowing the cycle of life in the insect, and the time at which 
eggs are laid and the worms hatch and mature, each cultivator can adapt his 
measures to the special circumstances of his particular field. 
4. plan by which to greatly lessen the number of moths and the injury resulting 
from their presence in meadows and pastures may be based upon their habit of 
congregating in such immense numbers to light. I have shown that the moths 
thus attracted are in large part at least the females loaded with eggs, and it is 
robable that they have deposited few eggs if any previous to their flying to the 
ight. Jience every female moth captured means the destruction of from one to 
two hundred eggs at the least. As the moths come to light by thousands, I think I 
may say even by millions, within a square mile, it can be seen how important is 
their destruction. Hundreds of them perish as a result of their own self-destructive 
‘habit, but by taking advantage of this habit and placing lanterns over tubs or pans 
of water in exposed places where they may be seen considerable distances, hosts : f 
moths may be captured and destroyed. A little kerosene on the water will make 
their destruction certain, as then, even if they succeed in crawling out over those 
already submerged, or at the sides of the tub, they are quite sure to have received 
enough oiling to kill them ina short time. <A little care in killing those accumu- 
lating in houses will also assist in lessening their number. Where electric lights 
