LEPinOPTEKA (moths). 



183 



the two moths called the Dart Moth {Agrotis segetum) ami 

 the Heart- and-Dart Moth {A. exdamatiords), while not a few are 

 the caterpillars of the Yellow TJnderwing (Triphmna proiiuha). 

 All these are nocturnal feeders, living just under the soil during 

 the day and coming out of a night to feed. They sometimes, 

 like worms, pull a numher of leaves into the soil to devour 

 during the day. Almost all plants are attacked by them, and 

 the damage they cause is often considerable. Loth stem and 

 leafage is eaten, especially of young plants, alike in garden 



Fig. 83. — Heart-and-Dart Mqtu. {Agrotis exdamationis). 

 1, Imago ; 2, surface larva ; 3 and 4, chrysalis in earthen case. (Curtis.) 



and field. The damage is often attributed to other animals, as 

 they are not seen during the day. Celerj' in some places this 

 past year has been attacked by them ; but the culprits Avere 

 thought to be rabbits until the larvte were taken at night. 

 The two commonest moths named above have thick hairy bodies, 

 and measure over an inch and a half across the Avings — the upper 

 ones in A. exdaviafionis being brown with dark-brown marks on 

 them, the lower ])ale-brown. A. segetum is paler in colour. 



Remedieti. — "Wheat-fields are often ravaged by these pests, and 

 all we can then do is to apply soot or nitrate of soda, which the 

 larvEe do not relish. Hand-picking in the day-time by turning 

 over the soil around plants that look to be flagging is worth the 

 trouble, even in large cabbage-fields, where they often are very 



