27 



Uiiiity only by breeding to the adult. The youiiy; larvae are inucii 

 darker at first, soinetimea nearly blac^k. 



The dinfi;y cutworm is one of the conirnoiu^st s|)e('i(!s, es])ecially in 

 (!orn, where it shares with the greasy cutworm tlu; piincipal injury to 

 that crop. Indeed, there is sonu^ reason to b<'li(!V(; that the moth may 

 lay her eggs in fall among the succukint vv(H'ds in the corn field, particu- 

 larly wIkmi a severe (h'oiith has niad(i IJie pasture and meadow lands less 

 inviting. In nccoi-daiicc! with (his sup[)()sition these cutworms have not 

 iiifre(|uently been found in eaiiy spring gxMierally distributed through 

 corn on old corn grovmd. Stedman speaks of it in Missouri as tlie most 

 destructive cutworm in Wheat. In our breeding-cages it has evidently 

 preiVjiixul c-lover to bhu^-grass. It is especially fond of early vegetables, 

 including melons, cal)bage, tomatoes, ])ear)S, peas, sw(^et ))otatocs, tur- 

 nips, lettuce, celery, and strawlxM-ry plnnts. It occasionally climbs fruit- 

 trees and shrubs to devour their buds and leaves. 



The striped cutworm is also decidedly destructive to corn, according 

 to Webster, one ficsld in lti(li;ui:i being completely ruined by it in 1895. 

 Similar injuries were noticed in tin; same year in Missouri, Kentucky, 

 T(!miessee, and southern Ohio, it was the most abundant cutworm in 

 southern Illinois in the outbreak of 1SS7, and, nc'xt to (jlndiaria, the com- 

 mon(;st and most destructive throughout the state during that of 1888. 

 It did imich harm to corn in these years, but was esfXH-ially injurious to 

 (•lover, for wlii(th it had an evident pnifenuKH!, and t,o the meadow 

 grasses. It frecpiently migrates when abutidant in search of food, but 

 without the concerted movement of the trut; army-worm. 



Both of these species are generally distributed throughout the United 

 States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. The dingy cutworm 

 is also found on the Pacific coast, and w(i have sf)ecim(Mis of the moth 

 from Montiuia, Wyoming, arid Utah. Tlu; sti'iped s|)ecies occurs in 

 British ('ohunbia. 



Th(n-(! is but one brood of tli(! dingy cutworm (!ach year. Moths have 

 b(!en taken throughout July, August, and September, but much the 

 most abundantly in the latter part of August. I*iggs are (^uicikly depos- 

 it(id, and h;it(;h in about a week. The cateri)illars grf)w slowly, and 

 hibernate whcm quite small. Those; taken by us in January, February, 

 and March averaged less than half an inch in length, but when warm 

 weatlK^r comes they grow apace, and in May Ixicome nearly full grown. 

 Ill June tli(!y cease feeding, mostly in the first IkiIT of the month and 

 enter the ground for pui)ation. A dingy cutworm k(!pt under observa- 

 tion in my insectary from May 15 entcu-ed the ground June 10, and 

 contimied as a larva in its earthen cell tmtil August. On the 12th of 

 this month it was found to hav(i changed to the pui)a, and on the 28th 

 it becainc! an adult. This long-delaycid pupation was not due to drouth, 

 as the earth in the breeding-cage was kei)t moist, and even wet. Besides 



