M \IZK. 139 



small handful at the base of each cluster of two or three seedlings. The sail 

 keeps the bait moister than when water sweetened with treacle or sugar is 

 used. The bait is besi scattered late in the afternoon. 



It has been found elsewhere that a few Lemons or oranges, finally chopped up 



and added to the water when mixing the mash, render the above baits n 



attractive to the cutworms. Success has also been attained by using foliage 

 such as maize tops, potato haulms, turnip tops, &c , chopped up and stirred 

 for about the minutes in Paris green water (1 lb. to 50 gallons). The green 

 bait is thus poisoned, and is then scattered as in the case of bran baits. 



In most cases the use of poisoned baits mentioned above is invaluable in 

 controlling these pests. Spraying grass or weeds or a narrow strip of the 

 crop with Paris green or arsenate of lead in front of advancing swarms of 

 cutworms is a method sometimes effective in checking the pest (especially the 

 Army Worm), the sprayed strip being afterwards cut and burned. Trenching 

 a. deep furrow in front of their advance, and spraying or crushing the 

 caterpillars, which accumulate in thousands in the steep-sided furrow, is also 

 a useful method. 



Pink Corn- worm (Batrachedra rileyi Wals.). 



This pest damages maize by eating out the grains, and also feeds on the 

 core, husks, and silk of the cobs. It attack? the ears in the field and in 

 store, but is not serious in shelled and bagged grain. It also feeds on sugar- 

 cane, bananas, lantana and sorghum. 



The eggs are minute and pearly white and are laid on the cobs. The 

 caterpillar is small (up to | of an inch) and of characteristic pink colour. 



Cob damaged by the Pink Corn-worm. 



Note the streaks of fine granules of excrement (smaller than those of the excrement of the 

 Ear-worm or of the Yellow Maize Moth). 



The pupa or chrysalis is small and brown, and is found in light silk cocoons 

 in the husks and silks, and among the grains. 



The adult moth is light greyish brown, slender, small (smaller than the 

 common grain moth) and inconspicuous. 



In late summer this insect is common on the ears attacking the grain and 

 top of the ear. The danger seems to be to the ripe maize grains in the field and 

 stored cobs in the last three months of summer, but this insect has not so far 

 been termed a serious pest. 



