44' MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 239 



Cotton Spanworm ". 



The late J. B. Sniitli gave us what we know of this species on cranberry 

 bogs. He found it in 1883 infesting severely a bog in Cotuit'". There is little 

 evidence that it attacked other bogs or lias appeared as a cranberry feeder 

 at any other time. Its attack probably was due to unusual abundance, for it 

 broke out as a strawberry pest in Ilhnois the same year. As it may apjjcar 

 on bogs again, it is discussed liere. 



]>l>itriliuiion and Food PInnft!. 



This spanworm ranges over most of this country east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. It feeds on ash, apj)le, asparagus, blackberry, clover, cotton, cran- 

 berry, elm, geranium, guava, hickory, honey locust, maple, orange, pear, straw- 

 berry, willow and yellow dock. It attacks asparagus and cotton oftenest. 



CJiaracier of Injnrif. 



The first brood starts near tlie edge of a bog. The second starts from inside 

 centers where groups of eggs have been laid. The worms were so abundant in 

 the recorded infestation that they browned quite an area. They advanced in 

 masses like army worms. 



Description and Seasonal History. 



The worms first appear in June and mature late in that month or early in 

 July. They are then about an inch and an eighth long and vary from yellow- 

 ish to brown or livid gray, being streaked and mottled with lighter and dark- 

 er shades. There are two low black tubercles on the back about a third of 

 the length back from the head dnd two smaller ones near the hind end. The 

 head is marked with irregular black cross bands. 



The worms go into the ground a little and change into rough brown pupae 

 about half an inch long from which the moths emerge in nearly two weeks. 



The caterpillars of the second brood mature in August, beginning to pupate 

 before the ninth but continuing to abound till after the middle of the month. 

 The moths appear at the end of August and in September. 



The moth (Plate Three, fig. 12) varies considerably in size, color and mark- 

 ings. Its wing expanse is from a little less than an inch to nearly an inch and 

 a half. It is ash gray and the wings are crossed by irregular brown lines. 

 The first abdominal segment is white above. The antennae of the female are 

 threadlike, those of the male pectinate. 



Treatment. 



Spraying with 6 pounds of dry lead arsenate in 100 gallons of water is 

 advocated. 



Big Cranberry Spanworm.'" 



Some growers say this species is destructive on rare occasions. A few of 

 the worms often occur on the bogs and sometimes defoliate small patches. 



48. Cleora pampinaria (Gn.). This insect has been known heretofore as the cranberry span- 



^°'49'. U. S. Dept. Agr.. Div. Ent., Bui. 4 (O. S.), pp. 26-28, 1884. 

 .W. Abbolana clemalaria (S. & A.). 



