THE ALFALFA CATERPILLAR. 



ECONOMIC HISTORY OUTSIDE THE BORDERS OF ARIZONA AND 



CALIFORNIA. 



In regions outside of Arizona and California this species has at 

 various times been suspected, both by agents of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology and others, of doing more or less injury to alfalfa. In 1906 

 a correspondent of the Department of Agriculture reported the cater- 

 pillars as infesting lucerne fields in Brigham County, Wyo. In 

 the same year another correspondent, writing from Dell, Oreg., 

 reported the butterflies in " countless thousands playing on the 

 alfalfa blossoms." 



In 1909 Mr. C. N. Ainslie found eggs and larvae on alfalfa at 

 Springer, N. Mex., but not in sufficient numbers to be doing any ap- 

 parent damage. In July, 1913, on nearly the same ground, the writer 

 found larvae quite abundant. It is apparent that the reason Mr. 

 Ainslie did not find 

 them in numbers 

 was the lateness of 

 the season. In the 

 same year, 1909, Mr. 

 E. O. G. Kelly, at 

 Wellington, Kans., 

 reported the larvae as 

 rather numerous on 

 alfalfa plants and 

 feeding freely ; and 

 the following year, 

 at the same place, 

 Messrs. T. H. Parks 

 and H. T. Osborn observed the larva? feeding upon alfalfa, and reared 

 parasites therefrom. 



In 1910 Mr. E. A. Vickery, at Brownsville, Tex., reported the 

 species as being abundant in the alfalfa fields as late as November. 

 He states: " These larvae are the most numerous and injurious of the 

 several species of caterpillars that are injuring alfalfa now." 



In the summer of 1911 the species was found in a number of locali- 

 ties, and reported by different members of the Bureau of Entomology 

 as injuring alfalfa at the following places: Cokeville, Wyo., Idaho 

 Falls and Blackfoot, Idaho (T. H. Parks) ; Ely, Nev. (C. N. 

 Ainslie). In July, 1911, Prof. S. B. Doten, of the Nevada Agricul- 

 tural College, received from The H. F. Dangberg Land & Live 

 Stock Co., Minden, Nev., a letter reporting damage from this worm, 

 an extract of which follows : " We are this day mailing you under 

 separate cover a species of worm which at the present time is doing 

 a great deal of damage in our alfalfa fields. They seem to congre- 



FlG. 



-Map showing distribution of the alfalfa caterpillar. 

 (Original.) 



