CUTWORMS, ARMYWORMS, AND RELATED SPECIES 25 



The eggs were 0.6 to 0.7 mm. in diameter and 0.4 to 0.5 mm. in 

 height. The pupae were 18 to 20 mm. in length and 5.5 to 6.3 mm. 

 in diameter. 



Reproductive capacity. — One female taken at light, when dissected, 

 contained 710 eggs. 



Natural enemies. — Only 5 larvae of this species were collected in 

 the central Great Plains region during this investigation; none were 

 parasitized or diseased. 



Lacinipolia meditata (Grote) 



(Figs. 2, J; 4, L; 7, G) 



Distribution. — The recorded distribution of this species includes 

 the Atlantic Coast States from Maine to North Carolina and west- 

 ward to Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and South Dakota. 

 One adult was taken in the light trap at Scottsbluff, Nebr. 



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

 central Great Plains and of only minor importance elsewhere. 



Food plants and larval habits. — The recorded food plants are tobacco, 

 clover, solidago, Aster ericoides L., bluegrass, and Andropogon vir- 

 ginicus L. The writer has taken the larvae in pasture lands, prairie 

 hay meadows, and roadside grasses and weeds, where little barley 

 (Hordeum pusillum Nutt.) was predominant. The larvae are rather 

 sluggish. They do not burrow into the soil, but prefer to hide in 

 surface litter. Although this species has never been recorded as 

 injuring growing wheat, it is at least a potential enemy, as the writer 

 reared this cutworm on sprouted wheat. 



Seasonal history. — This species has but one generation a year. 

 The adults appear late in August and are present throughout Sep- 

 tember. In cages the eggs are deposited in or on the surface of the 

 soil and hatch soon thereafter. These cutworms pass the winter 

 as partly grown larvae, which resume feeding early the following 

 spring, becoming full-grown in March. By the first week in April 

 they cease feeding and form their pupal cells of silk mixed with soil. 

 They remain inactive in their cells until pupation begins late in July 

 and early in August. After a pupal period of 3 to 4 weeks the adults 

 appear and begin depositing eggs for the next generation. 



Life cycle. — Eggs deposited on September 20 hatched in 7 days. 

 The larvae passed through five, six, and seven instars, the majority 

 having six. The periods required in the various stages and the 

 width of the head capsule in the different larval instars were as 



TOllOWS: Period Width of head 



Stage ' (days) capsule (mm.) 



Egg ■_ 7 



First 7 to 36 0.30 to 0.40 



Second 4 to 24 .40 to .55 



Third 6 to 70 .65 to .85 



Fourth 10 to 40 1.00 to 1.40 



Fifths 18 to 119 1.30 to 2.00 



Sixth 52 to 100 1.90 to 2.40 



Seventh 1 __. 140 to 180 



Total 255 to 336 



Pupa 20 to 30 



Egg to adult___ 284 to 367 



1 Estivation included. 

 884237—50— — 4 



