260 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO STAPLE CROPS. 



ihe Sugar-beet Web-worm {Loxostege stidUdis Linn.), Lirv^ 

 of very closely allied moths of the family PyralidcB. Until 

 the summer of 1892 they had not been noted east of the 

 Mississippi River, confining themselves to a region west of 

 that to the Rockies and north of the Platte River. But 

 in September of that year they destroyed fully fifty joer 

 cent of the tansy croj), which is largely grown for oil near 

 Menon, Mich., and, since the extensive growing of the 

 sugar-beet had hardly commenced at that time, it is safe to 

 assume that with its more general culture in the East these 

 two pests will accompany it. 



The Garden Web-worm. 



The greatest injury seems to be done by the second 

 brood of caterpillars in July, and in Nebraska there are 



Fig. 149. — The Garden Web-worm {Loxostege similalis Gn.). 



three broods during the season. When the fall brood has 

 become full-grown it burrows into the earth, forms small 

 cells, neatly lined with silk, and there lies dormant during 

 the winter, transforming to pupte the next May. The moths 

 emerge in a week or ten days, and at once commence to 

 lay eggs upon the leaves of the 23lants. They are pretty 

 little moths, with a wing-expanse of about three-fourths 



