INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CLOVER 217 



tender green leaves at the crown of the plant." Folsom. Red 

 clover is the principal food plant, but white, alsike, and probably 

 mammoth clovers are also affected. The published records show 

 that it occurs in the northeastern States southwest to Missouri, 

 but it doubtless occurs elsewhere where clover is grown, as it 

 might readily be carried in hay. 



Life History. The adult is a pretty little brown moth, with a 

 wing expanse of two-fifths inch, with silvery markings as shown 

 in Fig. 155, the most conspicuous marks forming a double crescent 

 when the wings are closed ou the back. The moths appear about 

 the end of May in central Illinois, or just as the clover is coming 

 into bloom, being active in early evening, when the females lay 

 their eggs in the heads. The egg is circular in shape, about Yioo 

 inch in diameter, yellowish-white in color, and hatches in five or 

 six days. In first-year clover that has not headed and in second- 

 year clover recently cut, the eggs are laid on young stems and leaf- 

 lets at the base of the plant, where the larvae stay. 



" Hatching usually at the base of a green clover-head; the 

 larva eats into the head, destroying the green florets as it goes. 

 A small green head is often destroyed entirely, before it is many 

 days old; a larger head is injured only locally at first, remaining 

 green on one side, while the other and unaffected side may come 

 into full bloom." Judging from the appearance of the head the 

 work might be that of the seed-midge, but whereas it is hidden 

 away in a single floret, this caterpillar makes a large dirty excava- 

 tion involving many florets, and is readily found by tearing open 

 the head. The caterpillar attacks the bases of the florets, includ- 

 ing the semifluid ovules, but does not attack seeds which have 

 hardened. " Even when the direct injury is confined to a portion 

 of the clover-head, the entire head is ruined, for it at length dries 

 up and loses the rest of the florets, leaving only the dead and brown 

 receptacle. Less conspicuous, though not inconsiderable, is the 

 injury at the crown of the plant, done chiefly in September and 

 October, by caterpillars of the same species feeding upon the 

 leaves." Folsom. The total injury varies greatly, but not infre- 

 quently 20 per cent of the heads are infested, and in Iowa infesta- 



