8 CIRCULAR 639, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
usually on the under side of the upper tobacco leaves. The small bud- 
worms crawl] to the bud, or terminal, of the plant, where they conceal 
themselves between the im- 
mature leaves and begin to 
feed ravenously. From 18 
to 31 days are required for 
their development in May 
and June. At maturity 
they attain a length of 
about 114 inches (fig. 8). 
They are commonly light 
green, with paler strips run- 
ning lenethwise of the body, 
but the color may range 
FIGURE 8.—Mature larva of the tobacco fon : to vell ] Sd 
budworm, about X 11%. rom green to ye owish or 
dark brown. When full- 
grown the budworm enters the soil and changes to the pupal, or 
resting, stage (fig. 9). 
CHARACTER OF INJURY 
Injury to the tobacco plant is caused by the larva of the budworm. 
Although some damage is done by the larger larvae feeding on the 
mature “foliage, the greater part of the 1n- 
jury is produced in the small, immature bud 
leaves (fig. 10). Distorted leaves often re- 
sult from feeding on the tips of the leaves 
in the developing bud. When the attack is 
made elsewhere, large unsightly holes de- 
velop as the leaf tissue expands (fig. 11). 
Both types of injury greatly lower the value 
of wrapper tobacco and depreciate the value 
of the sun-grown types. If the worms are 
not controlled, they may feed on the plants 
to such an extent as to cause a considerable 
loss In weight. Frequently the entire bud 
may be eaten away with the consequent 
stunting of the entire plant. 
NATURAL ENEMIES 
If it were not for the assistance of nu- 
merous parasitic and predaceous enemies 
of the budworm, the infestations in tobacco 
fields would undoubtedly be much greater. 
One of the important predaceous enemies 
Spa Sues ee Peucetia viridans 
Hentz (fig. 12), which is extremely com- 
mon on ee in this region. Another Ficurz 9—Pupa of the 
enemy 1s a wasp, Polistes sp., which de- tobacco budworm, X 34. 
stroys many of the larger larvae. 
A fly, Sarcophaga lambens Wied. (sternodontis Towns.), closely 
resembling the common housefly (J/usca domestica L.) acts as a para- 
sitic enemy of the budworm. It deposits small maggots in the body 
