BULLETIN 192. 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE VINE. 



125 



vated crops, particularly on land that was in grass the previous year. 

 It is the two former the climbing cut worms and army worms that 

 chiefly concern growers of vines. 



The climbing cut worms appear in the early spring and eat off the 

 expanding buds. They also feed upon the young leaves as they appear, 

 but an early attack on the swelling buds is when the most serious 

 damage is done, because the removal of the principal bud destroys the 

 fruit and the later buds usually produce sterile shoots. The two 

 commonest species concerned here are Paragrotis meswria Harris and 

 Peridroma margaritosa sauci Hubn. 



The life history of all the species of this group is much the same, 



FIG 17. Moths of cut worms. 



.and they may be discussed together. The majority spend the winter 

 as a partly grown larva. In the spring they again become active and 

 begin to feed after being more or less dormant during the winter. If 

 they are the climbing species they may be found attacking the buds or 

 young leaves of the vine. When they become full-grown larvae they go 

 to the ground, where they change to pupae. After two or three weeks 

 in this stage the adult moth appears. These are usually dark colored 

 (Fig. 17), and because they fly about at night are seldom seen. 



The eggs are laid mostly on the stems of grasses near the ground. 

 The larvae hatching from these feed at or near the ground, and since 

 they work mostly at night are not readily seen in their concealed situa- 

 tions during the day. There being plenty of vegetation at this season 

 also they do not interfere seriously with the crop. By fall they become 



