30 CIRCULAR 8 4 9, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Laphygma frugiperda (Abbott and Smith) 



Fall Annyworm 

 (Figs. 4, M; 7, H) 



Distribution. — The fall armyworm is distributed generally through- 

 out the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and in the Tropics. 



Economic status. — It is of major economic importance in the central 

 Great Plains. Frequently the ears of late-planted corn are damaged, 

 and large areas of newly sown winter wheat are destroyed. 



Food plants and larval habits. — The larvae are general feeders, 

 but show a preference for various grasses. Besides damaging young 

 winter wheat and late corn, the larvae are destructive to lawn grasses, 

 particularly Bermuda grass and creeping bentgrass. Sometimes they 

 attack alfalfa. They consume the entire young winter wheat plant 

 above ground, necessitating the reseeding of large areas. However, 

 in late corn the larvae bore into the ears and central shoots, an indica- 

 tion that this species has the habits of both surface and climbing 

 cutworms. 



Seasonal history. — This is the only species of cutworm of economic 

 importance in the central Great Plains that is known to be unable to 

 survive the winter there. According to Luginbill {12), the fall army- 

 worm survives the winter only in southern Florida and southern 

 Texas, or in the semi tropical and tropical zones. Thus it must redis- 

 tribute itself each year by migration of the adults. In Kansas these 

 cutworms usually appear early in August, and light-trap records 

 showed them to be present until the first week in November. All 

 attempts to overwinter the species in any of its stages have failed. 

 Generally there is one generation, with a partial second in Kansas. 

 The larvae are most numerous late in August and in September. The 

 females deposit their eggs in masses on foliage, fence posts, and other 

 objects, and cover them with scales from their bodies. The small 

 larvae, on hatching, spin down to the food plants on silken threads. 

 The ability to spin is lost after the first larval instar. 



Natural enemies. — Of 120 field-collected larvae, 18 percent were 

 parasitized by Hymenoptera and 3 percent by Diptera. The parasites 

 reared were as follows: 



Hymenoptera — Pristomerus (Neopristomerus) appalachianus Vier; Zele mellea 



(Cress.), Chelonus texanus Cress. 

 Diptera — Winthemia quadripustulata (F.), Euphorocera tachinomoides (Tns.). 



Epizeuxis lubricalis Geyer 



Distribution. — This species is recorded generally throughout the 

 United States and Canada. 



Economic status. — This species is of no economic importance. 



Food plants. — The larvae always are reported in association with 

 rotten wood, but whether they feed on wood or on fungi growing on 

 the wood is not known. 



Seasonal history. — Only two larvae were collected. They were 

 found late in March under a board at the edge of a wheat field, an 

 indication that they passed the winter as partly grown larvae. They 

 pupated within cocoons attached to the cover of the salve tins in 

 which they were reared. The adults emerged the first week in May. 



