Eighth Report of the State Entomologist, 



189 



cut-worm, Agrotis ypsilon (Rott.) — our of our most abundant species, 



common almost everywhere over the United States and Canada, and 



Occurring throughout Europe, in the East Indies, the Hawaiian islands, 



and elsewhere. [The caterpillar and the 



moth th it it produces are shown in 



(Figure 36.] A peculiarity of this spec 



and one that would seem to add to the 



amount of injury that it may cause the 



onion grower, is the unusually long time 



tli at it is present with us. It is almost 



the earliest of the A gratis species to make 



its appearance in the winged state. I have 



taken it as early as May 30th, and in col- 



lections made by me " at 



have 



Fig. 36.— The black cut- worm, Agro- 

 tisypsilon: a. larva; b, enlarged head 



observed it every night through the 

 months of June, July, and August, over 

 half the nights of September, and con- 

 tinuing until the last week of October. ot : same; c < themoth - ' CAfter Riley.) 

 This would seem to indicate that its caterpillars are in the ground 

 and continue their depredations through most of the spring and 

 summer months. Whether this is the result of a long period of 

 eggdaying of the moth, giving us the caterpillars at various stages of 

 growth throughout the season, or if there are two or more overlapping 

 broods, we are unable to say. Of some of the cut-worms, w r e could 

 safely predict that they would disappear from view and their injuries 

 cease within a limited time — a week or two, — bat of the black cut- 

 worm, no such gratifying prediction can be made. It may speedily disap- 

 pear or its trouble may continue for several weeks longer. The size of 

 the worms at present will enable you to form some opinion of their future 

 operations. Those sentVue are nearly full-grown. If nearly all are of 

 this size — an inch and one-fourth in length when at rest — I would 

 expect that their work would cease within two weeks from this time, 

 when they should stop feeding, bury in the ground and form a cell for 

 their pupation, from which they would emerge later as the winged 

 moth. But if many of the larva? are still small, you would be com- 

 pelled to look forward to a longer battle with them. What shall be 

 done with them to stop their ravages ? This is the important question 

 with the onion growers. 



If I am able within a few days to go and look over the ground, I 

 will do so, for then I could give you better advice. In the mean time 

 I will suggest some means which, from the known habits of cut-worms, 

 should afford very material relief. I presume that they feed mostly a£ 

 night and spend the day within the ground near the plants at about an 



