THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 67 



the above rules were recognized. Under two hay-bands which were 

 kept around a single old isolated tree, through the months of June, 

 July and August, I found every week of the last two months an aver- 

 age of fifty cocoons. 



I have often smiled in my journeyings through the State, to see 

 the grin of incredulity spread over the face of some unsophisticated 

 farmer as I recounted the natural history of this Codling moth, and 

 urged the application of the hay-band. Magic spell or fairy tale could 

 not more thoroughly have astounded some of them than the unmask- 

 ing of this tiny enemy and the revealing of the proper preventive. 



The burning of fires has been recommended, under the supposi- 

 tion that the moths will fly into them and get destroyed. I have no 

 faith whatever in the process, so far as regards this particular species, 

 for though it is true that the moths fly and deposit their eggs in the 

 evening, I do not believe they are attracted to the light, as are some 

 others, for I have never been able to thus attract any myself. 



CUT-WORMS. 



(Lepidoptera Noctuidaj.) 

 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF TWELVE DISTINCT SPECIES. 



There are several different kinds of insects that are known by the 

 popular name of cut-worm. Thus, the White grub, or larva of the 

 common May beetle ( Lachnostema quercina, Knoch), and the differ- 

 ent species of wire-worms, the larvas of our Click beetles (Elater 

 family) are all called cut-worms in some part or other of the United 

 States. But I shall confine the term to those caterpillars, which, for 

 the most part, have the habit of hiding just under the surface of I he 

 earth during the day, and feeding either on the roots, stems or leaves 

 of plants during the night. 



Most of these caterpillars have the very destructive habit of cut- 

 ting, or entirely severing the plant on which they feed, just above or 

 below the ground. On this account they have received the name of 

 CW-worms, and not because when cut in two, each end will reproduce 

 itself as some people have supposed; for although some polyps 

 and other animals belonging to the great class radiata in the animal 

 kingdom, have this curious power of multiplying by division, it is not 

 possessed by any insect, and after having mutilated one of these cut- 

 worms, the farmer need never fear that he has thereby increased, in- 

 stead of having decreased their number. From this habit of cutting, 

 they prove a far greater nuisance than if they were to satisfy their 

 appetites in an honest manner. In the latter case we might feel like 

 letting them go their way in peace, but as with the Baltimore oriole, 

 which abrades and ruins a hundred grapes where it would require one 

 for food, we feel vexed at such wanton destruction of our products, 

 and would gladly rid ourselves of such nuisances. 



