apple, grape, and strawberries, but has not been reported as injurious 

 to clover or as breeding in fields of that crop. 



It is found throughout the United States 

 and. indeed, throughout the world, ranging 

 to the northward as far as Manitoba and 

 Hudson Bay, to the south as far as Uru- 

 guay and New Zealand, and the Cape of 

 Good Hope in Africa. It occurs in India, 

 Ceylon, and China, and is a common Euro- 

 pean species also. 



While destructively abundant at times 

 and in especially favorable situations, it is 

 not, so far as we laiow, subject to periods of 

 very extraordinary increase. It is much 

 parasitized, when abundant, by dipterous 

 and hymenopterous parasites, and these 

 must serve as a severe and ready check upon 

 its multiplication. 



This cutworm is apparently, but not 

 certainly, single-brooded. It passes the win- 

 ter mainly as a caterpillar, in various st-ages 

 of growth: begins to feed, of couree. as soon 

 as spring revives it: and continues more or 

 less injurious well through June, and sometimes even into July. The 

 destructive activity of this cutworm usually reaches its height in the 

 latter half of May and in early June, and then declines gradually through 

 the first half of July. A few 

 of the larvae cease feeding, how- 

 ever, in ^lay, and complete their 

 changes to the adult stage (Fig. -i) 

 during that month, but the 

 transformations of the greater 

 part of the hibernating generation 

 occur in June. Egg-la}'ing be- 

 gins, according to our observa- 

 tions, in July, the new generation sometimes beghming to hatch in the 

 grass within a fortnight of the disa])i)earance of the last of the cut- 

 worms of the preceding year. This s{)ecies may conseciuently ho found 

 in the cutworm stage at practically all times and seasons. Tupa^ fountl 

 in our breeding-cages on the Sth of June gave the moths in four weeks, 

 and eggs laid July 3 hatched in twenty- two days. 



Beginning early in July, the laying of eggs doubtless continues 

 through August, and possibly into September also. The moths have 

 been most frequently found by us in July ami August, with only occa- 



FiG. 3. The Greasy Cutworm 

 (Affrotis ypsilon), back and side 

 views. Enlarged. 



Fig. 4. The Greasy Cutworm (.AffroHs ypsi- 

 lon), adult. Natural size. 



