Alfalfa in Kansas. 85 



Habits and Life History. 



This insect breeds abundantly, not only in alfalfa and wheat fields, 

 but also in garden crops, and when abundant it sometimes migrates in 

 hordes, like the army worm, in search of food, and has been known to 

 destroy hundreds of acres of alfalfa. The life history of this species 

 is not well known. It may be taken in the winter as larva, pupa, and 

 even as adult, but in Kansas the great majority pass the winter as 

 larvae in the soil, emerging from their winter quarters in the late spring. 

 The second generation of worms appears in July and August. There 

 may be even a partial third generation in the fall, but there is nothing 

 conclusive upon this point. The variegated cutworm is a wide feeder, 

 working not only on field, garden and greenhouse plants, but also on the 

 fciiage and fruit of trees. In the spring of 1909 the infestation of this 

 insect, which was more serious than usual, extended over several coun- 

 ties in the south central part of the state. At that time they appeared 

 early in the spring and destroyed thousands of acres of wheat and 

 many acres of alfalfa. In the spring and early summer of 1915 the in- 

 festation was a much wider one, extending over the eastern third of 

 the state. Instead of injuring crops early in the season and confining 

 their attack almost entirely to wheat, as they did in 1909, they appeared 

 almost sixty days later, or about the first of June, and the main injury 

 was confined to the alfalfa, although in a few cases, after alfalfa had 

 been cut, they migrated into garden truck and corn. 



Methods of Control. 



This insect, like the army worm, has many parasitic and predaceous 

 foes, the principal ones being the same parasitic flies that parasitize the 

 army worms. 



The same poisoned bran mash that has proved so effective for the con- 

 trol of grasshoppers and army worms is also very effective in destroying 

 the variegated cutworms. (See "Poisoned Bran Mash," in index.) In 

 the evening the bran mash is sown broadcast over the infested fields in 

 such a manner that the amount of bait prepared by beginning with 

 twenty pounds of bran will cover about five acres. If they appear late 

 in the season, as they did in 1915, they probably will not be noticed until 

 the first crop of alfalfa has been cut. Within two or three days the 

 farmer will notice .hat the alfalfa is not growing and that the ground 

 is almost as bare as the day it was cut, although the season may be very 

 favorable for a rapid second growth. If he will examine the field he 

 will discover that the worms are eating the new growth of alfalfa just as 

 soon as it appears. The worms may not get enough entirely to satisfy 

 their hunger during the night, but will get enough to eat to keep them 

 from migrating, and with the advent of day they enter the ground to 

 wait for the next night's meal. This makes conditions ideal for poisoning 

 them, and in the evening the bran mash flavored with lemons or oranges 

 should be sown over the infested portions. One application usually will 

 be sufficient. 



