Usually in August, the moths emerge from these pupae and fly at 

 night feeding upon the nectar of flowers and other sweet exudations 

 from trees or plants. 



The life history of this insect is completed about the last of 

 August when the eggs are laid for the new generation. 



HABITS. 



The presence of cutworms becomes noticeable in a field as soon 

 as the plants are set out or when the seeds have begun to sprout. 

 Plants all through the field will have fallen or will have disappeared. 

 If examined they will be found to have been cut off at the surface or 

 a little below the surface of the ground by the cutworms and this 

 injury continues until the worms are full grown. 



ENEMIES. 



Because of their large size and hairless bodies these insects are 

 an easy prey to many enemies. The robin is especially effective as 

 it destroys more than any other bird. Poultry, especially chickens 

 destroy many of them and if trained to follow the plow they will do 

 effective work. The beetle larvae known as the cutworm lion and 

 the cutworm dragon, as well as the toad, help much to keep this 

 insect pest in check. 



REMEDIES. 



There are two kinds of remedies to be applied to this insect ; pre- 

 ventive and destructive. Of the former cleaji cultiii-e is the most 

 important. As the moths usually deposit their eggs in rank growth, 

 it is advisable where the land is not seeded down to keep it clean 

 and not let it grow up to weeds. Fall plowing will in many cases 

 prove quite beneficial, provided it is done early. 



If on preparing a field for planting any crop liable to attack, cut- 

 worms are noticed as abundant, complete the preparation of the 

 field, then spray some clover heavily with Paris green, and then cut 

 the clover and scatter it here and there over the field. The cut- 

 worms coming up after food will feed on this and be poisoned. 



After a crop is in a different treatment is necessary. In such 

 cases prepare a bran mash made of fifty pounds of bran or mid- 

 dlings, one pound of Paris green, enough molasses to sweeten well, 

 and water to make a dough or mash. Place a little of this at the 

 base of each plant in the latter part of the afternoon, and keep 

 fowls away. The cutworms coming up to feed at night will find in 

 this mash a food they prefer because of its sweetness, to the plant 

 stem and will feed on it instead. In this way nearly all of these 

 pests will be destroyed and it is not often necessary to repeat this 

 treatment. 



