the study of these insects up to the present, whilst the number 

 of new forms not recorded as pests in other countries renders 

 the task of investigation a labour of some years. 



CUTWORMS. This name originated in the United States 

 of America, the term " worm " being erroneously applied to 

 caterpillars generally, and the full name referring to the in- 

 sert's habit of severing the stems of plants close to the ground. 

 In England these insects are called " surface caterpillars," and 

 this name is more legitimate than the other, but crisp and 

 euphonious terms have a way of establishing themselves, and 

 it would be useless to attempt to dislodge the name " cut- 

 worm " from general use in this country. The Cape Dutch 

 call these insects " mest-wurmen," but the name is also ap- 

 plied to the whitish grub of certain beetles, many of these grubs 

 feeding in manure. The name " mest-wurmen," as applied 

 ;to the insects under discussion, is, of course, absolutely incor- 

 rect, because, in the first place, they are not worms, and, 

 secondly, they do not in the usual way feed on manure. As 

 they are, however, likely to abound wherever a rank and succu- 

 lent vegetation exists, they are common enough on the borders 

 of manure heaps. 



'Cutworms are the caterpillars of a number of different 

 species of night-flying moths of inconspicuous brown or grey 

 colouration. In Southern Khodesia there are several species 

 more or less injurious. Six species have already been separated 

 out at the Agricultural Laboratories, and no doubt there are 

 more that will ome to light in time. One of the commonest 

 species., A gratis segetis, known in England as the ' turnip 

 moth," is figured on the plate. Another, A. ypsilon, the 

 " greasy cutworm," is also figured, and appears to be especi- 

 ally fond of tobacco seed beds. 



In general, the habits of cutworms are simple. The gravid 

 female moth selects a situation amongst suitable vegetation, 

 and deposits her eggs on the stems of plants or on some con- 

 venient object near by. The eggs hatch in a few days. In 

 India the eggs of the ' ' greasy cutworm ' ' are reported to hatch 

 in as little as one and a half days, but the time taken by most 

 species is usually considerably longer. The young larvae enter 

 the soil, where they mostly lie concealed during the day, feed- 



