384 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



and the first brood of caterpillars are found during May and June. These 

 worms, when full grown, descend an inch or two into the ground and 

 pass into the pupal stage. A little later the moths emerge and lay the 

 eggs for the second generation of worms. It is this second brood that 

 often becomes so injurious on alfalfa during the latter part of August 

 and the first week or two in September. By the last of September the 

 third generation of moths will appear to lay the eggs for the third 

 generation of worms. This is the brood that passes the winter in the 

 soil as pupae. 



Methods of Control. 



The habit of this insect of entering the ground to pupate is of great 

 importance in the control of it. Shallow cultivation of the alfalfa with a 

 spiked-tooth harrow, alfalfa cultivator or disk will destroy from 60 to 

 90 per cent of them, depending upon the thoroughness of the work. When 

 alfalfa fields are threatened with an invasion, or if they have become 

 established in the field, the same treatment that is recommended for the 

 army worm should be used. 



VARIEGATED CUTWORM. 



(Peridroma saucia Hubn.) 



Plump caterpillar, about one and three-fourths inches long when full 

 grown; color variable from a brownish or grayish to a greenish hue, 

 marked with longitudinal dashes along the sides and with a row of four 

 or six pale dots extending from the neck half way or more down the 

 back. (Fig. 331.) 



FIG. 331. Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia). a, adult; b, c, d, full-grown 

 larvae; e, f, egge. All natural size except e, which is greatly enlarged. (After 

 Howard, U. 8. Dept. Agr.) 



