THE GREEN CLOVER WORM A BEAN PEST.^ Szp 



specimens were raised, all of which proved to be Plathypena 

 scabra Fabr., one of the commonest of our deltoid moths, usually 

 known as snout-moths. No other species were reared from this 

 material, so the evidence is conclusive that P. scabra, which is 

 called the green clover worm, is responsible for the damage. 

 After rearing the adults, the writer corresponded with Dr. 

 Chittenden, who kindly called attention to his published 

 article* on this insect, which up to that time had escaped the 

 writer's notice. From this article are taken some of the facts 

 herein set forth which were not observed by the writer. 



Injury to Beans and other Food Plants. 



Both common beans and Lima beans were attacked and the 

 leaves more or less riddled with irregular-shaped holes. In the 

 worst cases only the veins were left, and the pods were eaten 

 in some instances. The caterpillars were usually found on the 

 under side of the leaves, and on being disturbed the small ones 

 would descend from silken threads, while the larger caterpillars 

 would drop to the ground, wriggling violently and throwing, 

 themselves about. Different sized caterpillars were feeding at 

 the same time, some being about full grown and others not more 

 than one-third grown. 



By the middle of July, after receiving the complaints and 

 making observations, it was rather difficult to find an abundance 

 of caterpillars, most of them having pupated, though evidences 

 of their work remained. In one garden peas were devoured, and 

 according to Chittendenf other food plants are clover, soy beans, 

 tickweed (Meibomia sp.), vetch, strawberry and blackberry. 

 Clover is considered as the usual food plant, but almost any species 

 of the Leguminosae may serve as food. 



Life History. 



A nice lot of material was brought to the laboratory on July 

 14th and was placed in breeding cages in the insectary. One 

 caterpillar pupated in the box, and was not transferred to the 

 breeding cage. On July 24th the adult emerged from this cocoon. 



* The Green Clover Worm, Bulletin 30, Bur. of Entomology, U. S. Dept. 

 of Agriculture, p. 45, 1901. 

 t Idem. 



