266 



THE BOOK OF CORN 



The Larger Cornstalk Borer — In general appear- 

 ance it is a white six-footed caterpillar, ordinarily with 

 dark-brown spots, boring into the stalks of young corn, 

 causing more or less distortion of the plants, and 

 seriously reducing the yield. The larva bores into old 

 stalks, later working down into the tap root and 

 passing the winter in a channel near the surface of 

 the ground or a little below, transforming in the spring 

 to a brown moth. This insect is thought to be identical 

 with the sugar-cane borer of Louisiana and the West 



Fig 69— The Army Worm 



Moth above, pupa below, and eggs in natural position in a grass leaf— all natu- 

 ral size (after Comstock) 



Indies. It occurs all through the southern states, west 

 to Kansas, and as far north as Maryland along the 

 north shore of the Potomac river. The adult insect 

 issues from the old cornstalks in the spring. Soon 

 after the young corn comes up it lays its eggs upon 

 the leaves near the axils, and the larva upon hatching 

 penetrates the stalk at or near the joint and commences 

 to tunnel, usually upward through the pith. When 

 ready to transform it bores to the surface of the stalk, 

 making a hole for the exit of the future moth, then 



