2() 



Fig. 8. The Spotted Cutworm {Noctua 

 c-nigrum), aduU. Natural size. 



quently, if injuries to corn arc due to this species they will soon 

 cease, and the first replanting will commonly escape unharmed. 

 Moths (Fig. 8) from j^upa; formed in April and early May have ap- 

 l)eared in our breeding experiments during the latter part of May and 

 the first half of June, and, proceeding without much delay to deposit 

 their eggs, they gave origin to a second brood of cutworms which be- 

 came fairly well grown about the middle of July. This generation 

 is not often found in the corn field, and does no injury there worth 



noticing. The moths from this sec- 

 ond brood have appeared in our breed- 

 ing-cages from late July to the middle 

 of August. They continue alive in 

 the fields throughout September, and 

 lay their eggs in grass for the hiber- 

 nating brood of the cutworms. 



l*]arly" fall plowing of infested 

 grass-lands may thus be expected to take effect on this cutworm by pre- 

 venting the laying of many of the eggs, and by causing the starvation of 

 many of the young which may already have hatched. 



The Dingy Cutw^orm. 

 FeUia suhgothica Haw. 



The Western Striped Cutworm. 



Feltia joculifera Guen. 



(Agrotis tricosa, A. herilis.) 



The dingy and the striped cutworms are remarkably alike in both 

 appearance and habits, and may well be treated 

 together. The former (Fig. 9) is dingy gray, 

 and easily recognized by the dusky band on 

 each side of the back, obliquely notched on the 

 inner border like the edge of a serrated leaf. 

 The broad dorsal space between these bands is a 

 buffy gray. There are also a well-marked light 

 band along each side of the body, and dorsal 

 and lateral pale lines rather feebly marked. 



The western striped cutworm is very closely 

 similar to the preceding, perhaps indistin- 

 guishable in the caterpillar stage. Riley says, 

 indeed, that it is more dingy than suh- 

 gothica, with less conspicuous lines, and with 

 a more decided buff tint to the dorsal band. 

 These difTerences are, however, within the 

 range of ordinary variation, and the species ii.i.y. The uingy cutworm 



,1 *•, T.- -1 1 -ii {Feltia subuothicu), back and 



can apparently be distmguished with cer- side views. Enlarged. 



