IXSECTS IXJURIOUS TO CLOVER. 187 



often does clover-hay considerable injur}^ in the mow or 

 stack. The caterpillars will usually be noticed toward the 

 bottom of tlie stack if that part be searched in March 

 or April. They are shown natural size in the illustration, 

 and are of a dark-brown color, each segment being ringed 

 with a band of darker brown. Hay infested by them has 

 a moldy appearance from the numerous fine silken threads 

 which they spin through it, often forming webs, and is so 

 badly chewed and covered with w^ebs as to unfit it for stock. 



Life-histonj. — The laiva? forjn small silken cocoons in 

 the cracks and crevices of the barn, from which the moths 

 emerge early in June. As soon as the females find some 

 clover-hay they deposit their eggs upon it, and from these 

 the worms emerge and continue the destruction. Usually 

 no serious injury is done except where clover-hay is kept 

 over the second year or longer. When it is fed out each 

 spring, before the next crop is harvest^ed, there is no food 

 for the young caterpillars, and they perish before the new 

 crop comes in. 



Remedies. — Thus these worms may be easily controlled 

 by: 



1. Xever stacking clover-hay two successive seasons in 

 the same place. 



2. Cleaning the mow out each spring so that no old 

 clover w411 be left over in the barn until the new comes. 



3. Never patting new clover-hay on top of old, in stack 

 or mow. 



Though the clover-plaut has numerous and serious 

 enemies, almost all of them may be controlled by simple 

 means, the successful use of which depends almost entirely 

 upon a thorough understanding of the habits of the insect 

 to be fought. 



