204 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



cavity in the head, destroying many of 'the unopened buds and 

 some of the tender green seeds, and spoiling the head as a whole. 

 When no young clover heads are at hand, the caterpillar feeds 

 on tender green leaves at the crown of the plant." Folsom. 

 Red clover is the principal food plant, but white, alsike, and 

 probably mammoth clovers are also affected. The published 

 records show that it occurs in the Northeastern States southwest 

 to Missouri, but it doubtless occurs elsewhere where clover is 

 grown, as it might readily be carried in hay. 



Life History. The adult is a pretty little brown moth, with 

 a wing expanse of two-fifths inch, with silvery markings as shown 



in Fig. 170, the most conspicuous 

 marks forming a double crescent 

 when the wings are closed on the 

 back. The moths appear about 

 the end of May in central Illinois, 

 or just as the clover is coming in- 

 to bloom, being active in early 

 evening, when the females lay 

 their eggs in the heads. The egg 

 is circular in shape, about .01 inch 

 in diameter, yellowish-white in 

 color, and hatches in five or six 

 FIG. 170 Clover-seed caterpillar (En- days. In first-year clover that has 

 armonia interstinctana): a cater- not headed and in second-year 

 pillar: 6, pupa; c, moth, all much J 



enlarged: d, moth natural size, clover recently c u t , the eggs are 

 (After Osborn.) laid Qn young stemg and l ea fl ets 



at the base of the plant, where the larvae stay. 



"Hatching usually at the base of a green clover-head; the 

 larva eats into the head, destroying the green florets as it goes. 

 A small green head is often destroyed entirely, before it is many 

 days old; a larger head is injured only locally at first, remaining 

 green on one side, while the other and unaffected side may come 

 into full bloom." Judging from the appearance of the head the 

 work might be that of the seed-midge, but whereas it is hidden 

 away in a single floret, this caterpillar makes a large dirty excava- 

 tion involving many florets, and is readily found by tearing open 

 the head. The caterpillar attacks the bases of the florets, includ- 

 ing the semifluid ovules, but does not attack seeds which have 



