IMPORTANT INSECT ENEMIES OF COTTON 137 



THE COTTON LEAF-WORM (Alabama argillacea) 



The cotton leaf-worm, often incorrectly called the 

 "army worm," feeds upon nothing but cotton and has 

 repeatedly done extensive damage to cotton throughout 

 the south for more than a century. 



165. Life history and habits. The life cycle of the 

 cotton leaf-worm can be more easily observed than that 

 of the cotton boll-worm, for the reason that with the for- 

 mer insect all four stages are to be found on the cotton 

 plant, and frequently at the same time. The pale, bluish 

 green eggs are deposited on the underside of the larger 

 leaves near the central portion of the cotton plant. Within 

 two to five days after being deposited they hatch into 

 small, pale, yellowish green caterpillars. Hinds states 

 that when full grown the caterpillars are "rather slender 

 and reach a length of one and one-half inches. The cater- 

 pillars of the earlier generations usually show much less 

 black than do those of a later period near the end of the 

 season. The light forms are quite bright yellowish green 

 in body color with three narrow white stripes, and two 

 rows of conspicuous black spots each set with a black 

 spine, arranged along its back." 



When the caterpillars are from ten to fifteen days old, 

 or as soon as growth is complete, the worms cover their 

 bodies by drawing together parts of leaves, spinning a 

 silken cocoon in which they pupate and finally transform 

 to the adult or moth stage. This process is commonly 

 termed "webbing up." The adult moths or "candle 

 flies" are usually of an olive brown color. They fly, feed, 

 and lay their eggs at night. Hinds states that within a 

 week or ten days each female moth "may deposit from 

 400 to 600 eggs and then dies." There are usually six 



