Sugar Beet Webworm 



or the moths and compare it with the figure. If it is the same then look 

 for the eggs, continuing to do so for several days. Call the attention 

 of the Sugar Company's fieldman to the moths and get his advice. 



The eggs will be found on the under side of the beet leaves, on lamb's- 

 quarters or on Russian thistle if these weeds are growing in the field. Of 

 a pearly-white color and about the size of a small pin-head, they are not 

 easily seen unless careful search is made for them. 



Fig. 9. Sugar Beet badly damaged by Webworm.s 



Even though no eggs can be found, do not assume that all danger is 

 past. Often the eggs are overlooked and the first indication you have 

 that your crop is infested is the presence of newly hatched worms hang- 

 ing from the under side of the leaves by a short web. These can best 

 be seen by getting down near the ground and looking up and down the 

 rows. Both the worms and web are light colored and not very easily 

 seen unless the light is just right. Looking away from the sun makes 

 them more easily discerned. 



Picking leaves at random over a field and noting the number of eggs 

 or young worms present is a very good way of estimating the possibility 

 of damage in the near future. Great care must be taken not to under- 

 estimate this possibility, however. One or two worms or eggs on 

 one-half to three-fourths of the leaves indicate the presence of enough 

 worms seriously to injure the crop later. As some of the worms drop 

 from the leaves when they are broken off, the worms seen do not represent 

 all present. 



69 



