:5r) 



in corn in Illinois, and is, so far as our observations go, scarcely to be 

 regarded as an economic species in this state. 



The larvae are present in the field through May and June, and some- 

 times into the following month. The moths occur in the latter part of 

 June and in July and August, with scattering examples continuing into 

 October. There is apparently but one brood a year. 



The Bristly Cutworm. 

 Mamestra renigera Steph. 

 This is a small yellowish gray species (Fig. 18) about an inch in 

 average length when full grown, marked by two blackish stripes, one on 

 each side, with an unusually broad pale dorsal area between them_ 

 There are other less conspicuous stripes and 

 lines, and the hairs are coarse and long, giv- 

 ing the caterpillar a bristly appearance 



This abundant little cutworm has been 

 occasionally found by us at the base of in- 

 jured corn plan s, but it is mainly a grass 

 and garden species, the spring brood of the 

 caterpillars getting their growth too early to 

 injure corn materially. It feeds mainly on 

 the roots of its food plants, especially on 

 garden flowers. The food plants list d are 

 clover, the common grasses, chicory, tur 

 nips, and comfrey, to which we add corn 

 and cabbage. Gillette reared specimens on 

 Cottonwood leaves and alfalfa. 



Thi species is found from Canada to 

 Georgia, Colorado, and New Mexico, and 

 it has been reported as very abundant in 

 Iowa, II inois, Ohio, and New York. 



There are two generations each year, 

 one of which hibernates as a cutworm par- 

 tially grown. We have taken young larvae at frequent intervals from 

 December 2 to April. Injury to crops by this species is most serious 



in central Illinois in the latter part of April 

 and early in May. The cutworms pupate 

 during May, and the moths (Fig. 19) appear 

 in the latter part of that month, continu- 

 ing common until the middle of July. 

 Representatives of the second brood of cut- 

 worms have been found in early August, 

 and the second brood of moths begins to appear late in that month, and 

 continues through September and into early October. In Kentucky the 



The Bristly Cutworm 

 (Mamestra renigera), back and side 

 views. Enlarged. 



Fig. 19. The Bristly Cutworm 

 (Mamestra renigera), adult. En- 

 larged. 



