269 



THE ARMY WORM IN 1894, 



During the season of 1893 the army worm, Leucania unipuncta, was 

 reported several times from the States of Michigan and Wisconsin in 

 June, and later in the season the so-called wheat head army worm, or 

 fall army worm, occupied practically the same territory. The present 

 year in certain Eastern States the army worm has done more damage 

 than has been reported to us since 1881, Beginning on May 29, when 

 it was reported from Richmond, Va., specimens have been received at 

 frequent intervals down to September 0. The record reads : Kichmond, 

 Va., May 29; Chester, Ya., June 5; Easthampton, Long Island, IST. Y., 

 July 9; Augusta, Wis., July 10; Nadeau, Mich., July 18; Wausau, 

 W'is., July 19; Conner, Pa., July 21; New Canton, Ya., August IG; 

 Belle Haven, Ya., August 23; Woodford, Ya., August 25; Lincoln, 

 Del., September 6; St. Stephens Church, Ya., September 11. 



There is no doubt about the determination in any of these cases, as 

 specimens have invariably been sent to the Department. This late 

 occurrence of the insect in injurious numbers in ^"irginia and Dela- 

 ware is entirely unprecedented. It has long been known that there 

 are from four to five generations annually in the former State, and while 

 in the majority of instances it is the first generation of larva;, i. e., the 

 offspring of the moths into which the over- wintered larvaj develop, 

 which constitutes the injurious generation, as long ago as 1880, in 

 the columns of the New York Semi- weekly Tribune, the writer gave an 

 instance of a destructive army composed of individuals of the second 

 generation. There can be little or no doubt that the occurrences of late 

 August and early September in parts of Yirginia illustrates the possi- 

 bility of the development in injurious numbers of at least a third 

 annual generation. 



We can offer no suggestions as to the reasons for this anomalous 

 occurrence, but it is only an evidence that there are jjossibilities of 

 injury by the army worm which have been hitherto unsuspected. The 

 early indications that 1891 would prove to be an army worm year were 

 so strong that a circular was issued by the Division during the first 

 part of June, and a copy will be sent to all applicants. The remark, 

 able character of the late appearance of the worms is indicated by the 

 opening sentence of this circular, in which it is stated that " In the 

 months of May and June, and sometimes as late as July, wheat, oats, 

 and other small grains, corn, timothy, blue grass, and other grasses, 

 but seldom or never clover, are occasionally overrun," etc. 



ABUNDANCE OF CHAR^AS GRAMINIS IN SCOTLAND. 



On pages 48 and 49 of the current volume of Insect Life, we referred 

 to the extraordinary numbers of the larvse of Heliopliohus popularis 

 in northern France during 1893, which was ascribed to the extremely 

 long continued dry weather of that season. W^e have noticed in the 



