THE GRANULATED CUTWORM. 9 



THE EGG. 



The egg approaches a hemisphere in shape, the smooth lower sur- 

 face being at most only slightly convex. About 38 small ridges or 

 ribs originate at the base and converge toward the apex, to which not 

 all of them persist. Crossing between these ribs are numerous 

 smaller ones. A minute " button " is present at the apex. The egg 

 when first laid is yellowish white, becoming darker before hatching. 

 The diameters of 15 eggs gave an average of 0.64 mm., ranging from 

 0.60 to 0.69 mm. 



THE LARVA. 



The following description of the larva, by Dr. H. G. Dyar, is taken 

 from Hampson : 1 



Head 3.5 millim., pale brown, pale reticulate, vertical band dark brown, 

 strongly angled at top of clypeus, which is brown filled. Cervical shield well 

 cornified, shining brown, cut by a pale dorsal line and traces of a subdorsal one. 

 Dorsal space broadly pale, faintly brown, clouded on the centres of the segments, 

 heaviest next the obscure, pale, dorsal line. Skin rather thin, smooth. Lateral 

 space brown with faint pale subdorsal and lateral lines. Substigmatal band 

 broad, distinctly but not brightly or very uniformly white-pigmented, the sub- 

 vertical area becoming translucent. Tubercles dark brown, rather large and 

 distinctly cornified ; anal plate brown. 



THE PUPA. 



Riley has already given a very good description of the pupa and the 

 following is taken in part from his notes : 2 



General color brown ochre, the surface smooth and glistening, except for im- 

 pressions. In specimens from which the adult is about to issue the color be- 

 comes of a darker brown, the eyes black. Head small, with front slightly pro- 

 longed. Posterior lateral angle of prothorax with a dark brown transverse 

 swelling, which closes the first spiracle. Abdomen with dorsal surface of seg- 

 ments 4-7 anteriorly with a transverse, rounded, darker brown ridge, marked 

 with quite a number of very coarse and deep impressions. On segments 5-7 

 these ridges encircle the segments, though on the ventral surface they are not 

 dark brown and the impressions are not as prominent. Stigmata black. Tip 

 of last segment dark brown, ending in two stout teeth, each terminating in a 

 very fine spine, which is curved downward. Each side, just before the tip, is a 

 small blackish tubercle, and, dorsally, a little in front of this is a short spine. 



Ten pupae averaged 18.6 mm. in length and 5.9 mm. in lateral width 

 across the third abdominal segment, ranging in length from 17 to 20.5 

 mm., and in width from 5 to 6 mm. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



The larvae are very general feeders and probably attack practically 

 all vegetable crops. We have found them injuring bean, beet, 



1 Ov. cit., p. 355. 



2 Riley, C. V. The Granulated Cutworm (Larva of Agrotis annexa Treitschke). 

 In Report of the Entomologist, Ann. Rpt. U. S. Commr. Agr. f. 1884, p. 291, 292, PI. II. 

 fig. 1. 1885. 



58681°— 18— Bull. 703 2 



