380 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



broken stripe of white down the middle of their backs; usually mi- 

 grating in enormous numbers from adjoining grass lands or rye fields 

 and doing great damage in a very short time. (Fig 326.) 



Habits and Life History. 



The army worms occur throughout the United States east of the 

 Rocky Mountains. They live in low, rank growth of grasses, which 

 form their normal breeding grounds. They also breed in rye that has 

 been sown early for fall and winter pasture. Sometimes, owing to un- 



FIG. 326. Army worms (Leucania unipuneta) at 

 work on a corn plant; about % natural size. (After 

 Slingerland.) 



usually favorable conditions, there is an enormous increase in numbers, 

 and, unable to find food in their usual haunts, they assume the army 

 habit and crawl in great numbers into alfalfa fields, consuming all in 

 their path. The next year their natural enemies usually will have 

 them under control again, and they will not be observed as injurious for 

 a number of years, though the adult moths are always fairly common. 

 The army worms pass the winter as partly grown larvae in the soil. 

 Probably in some instances the adult moths pass the winter. With the 



