INSECTS ATTACKING CORN. 25 



are always found to be caused by the unusual prevalence of some 

 local species, and not due to the presence of the true Rocky 

 Mountain Locust. Concerning these other locust species, which 

 occasionally do more or less harm, see chapter on "Injurious 

 Grasshoppers." 



GARDEN WEB-rWORM. 

 (Eurycreon rantalis Guen6e; Order, Lepidoptera.) 

 Diagnosis. White webs enveloping the young corn or the bases 

 of the older corn stalks. Within the webs numbers of slender, 

 light-green, black-dotted caterpillars eating the leaves. 

 Attacking, also, many garden vegetables and wild plants. 

 Description and Life-history. The insect in the state in which 

 it commits its depredations is a caterpillar or lepidopterous larva, 

 about seven-eighths of an inch long when full grown. It is light 



c 



FIG. 14. GARDEN WEB-WORM; a, adult; &, pupa; c, larva. 



green, with a narrow, yellowish-white stripe on each side of the 

 median dorsal line except on the first segment behind the head. 

 Head pale yellowish-red. There are eight pairs of legs, the last 

 pair being on the last segment of the caterpillar. 



As an adult, the insect is a small, grayish, night-flying moth, 

 its wings expanding about three-fourths to one inch. The eggs 

 are deposited on the lower leaves and stems of various plants. 

 The larvae become full grown in about two weeks after hatching, 

 and transform into pupse within a small, silken cocoon concealed 

 under dead leaves or in any debris. 



The larva feeds naturally on certain wild plants and weeds, 

 especially the different species of pig- weeds, lambs-quarter, and 

 purslane. When the larvae are very abundant, however, they 

 overflow into fields and gardens. Many garden vegetables suffer 



