68 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



long, stout, sparse setae. The antennae are biarticulate and short, 

 the segments being broader than long. The labrum is reddish brown, 

 the thoracic shield has a median, paler line and the second and 

 third thoracic segments dorsally have a pair of submedian, bisetose, 

 oval tubercles on the anterior annulus, and a transverse median 

 tubercle on the posterior annulus, that on the third segment being 

 partly divided. The abdominal segments have submedian, sub- 

 quadrate tubercles, the anterior ones as wide as the annulus and 

 unisetose, the posterior ones narrower, longer and with the seta near 

 the lateral fourth, both tubercles being almost truncate mesially. 

 Above the suprastigmatal line there are two irregular tubercles, 

 the one on the anterior annulus unisetose, irregularly ovoid and 

 with an almost divided extension obliquely below and behind the 

 spiracle; that on the posterior irregularly fusiform and with the 

 long axis slightly oblique to the vertical axis of the body; the ninth 

 abdominal segment with a median, compound, narrowly ovoid, 

 polysetose tubercle; the suranal plate covering most of the tenth 

 segment and with a number of irregularly placed setae; true legs 

 pale yellowish transparent; prolegs whitish, the rows of minute 

 claws dark brown. ^ 



There is no very practical method of fighting these pests, owing 

 to the fact that usually severe injury is caused before their presence 

 is suspected and then it is too late to do much to protect the re- 

 mainder of the crop. In localities where these pests are likely to 

 be abundant it is advisable to keep corn and other crops liable to 

 attack, at some distance from grasslands and to avoid planting 

 upon recently turned sod. Plowing land infested by these insects 

 in late summer or early fall, say August or early September, should 

 result in most of the caterpillars perishing before the following 

 spring. If this be impractical, spring plowing should be delayed 

 as late as possible so as to give the caterpillars a chance to com- 

 plete, so far as practical, feeding before the sod is turned under. 

 The planting of an extra amount of seed would assist to some extent. 

 There is a better chance of the crop outgrowing the injury if it 

 be upon well-manured, highly cultivated land. 



Yellow field ant (Solenopsis debilis Ma3rr?) The latter 

 part of June a complaint was received from Ernest W. Conklin of 

 Salt Point, through F. H. Lacy, agent of the Dutchess county farm 

 bureau, to the effect that recently planted corn seemed to be growing 

 smaller and was troubled with an ant eating the heart out of the 



^Insects of Illinois, 23d Rep't, p. 154, 1905. Professor Forbes gives here a 

 key for the separation of webworm larvae likely to be found injuring corn. 



