8 



Life history.— The winter is passed in the ground either in the larval 

 or pupal stage and the first moths appear b}^ the middle of April. 

 These moths are of a 3'ellowish-buff color, with markings as shown in 

 figure 3, a. Their eggs, which, to the number of 50 per moth, are 

 deposited in bunches of from 8 to 20 upon the leaves of the food plant, 

 and hatch in about three days. The larvae of the first two broods feed 

 upon weeds, or often upon alfalfa, where that is grown, in which case 

 they are driven to migrate to adjoining cotton when alfalfa is cut. 

 The full-grown caterpillars are slightly over an inch long and of a 

 3^ellowish or yellowish-green color, marked with shining black tuber- 

 cles, or warts, as shown in figure 3, h. The second brood of larvae, 



which occurs in late May 

 and the first half of June, 

 is the one most injurious 

 to cotton. In feeding, the 

 caterpillars spin a fine web 

 which envelops the leaves 

 of the 3^oung cotton plant. 

 When full grown they en- 

 ter the soil and there trans- 



FiG. Z.—Loxosle(je simiMis: a, male moth; b, larva, lateral f omi to pupEB (sce fig. 3,y), 



view; c, larva, dorsal view; d, anal segment; e, abdominal p,. ^^ , ,u; K ^U« .^ i-U 



segment, lateral view; /, pupa; g, eremaster-a, 6, c, /, ^^O"! ^hich the moths 



somewhat enlarged; d, e, g, more enlarged (reengraved emerge in about eight days, 



after Riley, except c, from Chittenden). ^^ .^^^ ^ ^^^^^j^ ^^,^^^ '^^^ 



time the eggs were laid. As a rule, no appreciable injury is inflicted on 

 older cotton, but in August alfalfa is often damaged. There seem to 

 be five, and possibly six, broods a year in Texas. Corn and all kinds 

 of garden vegetables are injured at about the same time as is cotton. 



Remedies. — It is evident that fall and winter plowing, not only of 

 cultivated land but also of adjoining fields grown up to weeds, is the 

 most effective means of controlling this pest. Upon their appearance 

 the caterpillars ma}^ be easily destroyed by dusting with Paris green 

 or any similar arsenical which will not burn the foliage. This ma}' be 

 best accomplished by means of a powder gun which will distribute a 

 small but ample amount of the poison evenl}^ over the plant, thus 

 economizing in the amount of material used and avoiding the burning 

 of the tender foliage which might result from the heavier application 

 by means of a bag. The planter will find that the prompt application 

 of Paris green will be entirely effectual. 



THE WHITE-LINED SPHINX CATERPILLAR. 



TheHarvse of the white-lined sphinx moth {Deilephila lineata Fab.) 

 are common inhabitants of fields of young cotton, but usually do not 

 work any appreciable amount of injury. They are subject to consid- 



