8-3 



bage, beans, and strawberry. Under exceptional circumstances vine- 

 yards are attacked and the foliage of fruit trees devoured, and instances 

 are on record of invasions of greenhouses and of attack to stacks of 

 fodder. The cannibalistic habit of the larvae is well known, in which 

 respect this insect resembles the boll worm. 



The life history, as previously intimated, has not yet been carefully 

 studied, the stage in which hibernation takes place being still in doubt. 

 It was ascertained that hibernation does not take place in the egg 

 condition, at least in the latitude of the District of Columbia, and it 

 seems propable from all available data that this insect resembles the 

 cotton worm {Aletia xylina Say), at least in its habit of hibernation. 

 From specimens received during the past season from Georgia, adults 

 were obtained during a warm spell in November, and it is the consen- 

 sus of opinion of those who have given the subject of the biology of 

 this insect sluj study that it probably passes the winter either as adult 

 or as pupa, and from present knowledge evidently in the adult con- 

 dition chiefly, although it is possible that larva? may winter over. 



The number of generations produced each year has been stated to 

 be at least two in the northern limits of the species, and three for the 

 south: but. from experience with related insects, the writer is inclined 

 to accord this insect at least three generations for a climate like that 

 of the District of Columbia, and four or more for the Gulf States. § It 

 is hoped that another year may see these points, as well as others, in 

 the insect's life history made clear; as. for example, the time of the 

 earliest appearance of the moth in different localities, the time of 

 first egg-laying, and the period of all of the different stages, and the 

 stage and place of hibernation. 



The larva? live like other cutworms in years of ordinary abundance, 

 and are so dark and evidently secretive in their nature as to usually 

 escape recognition. When, however, in seasons like the past, an undue 

 increase in the numbers of the insect takes place and the habit of mov- 

 ing in armies is assumed, their presence becomes manifest, too late, 

 however, in most instances, for remedial treatment. 



Transformation to pupa takes place in little earthen cells, which may 

 be either erect or somewhat inclined, but occasionally pupa? are not so 

 protected. 



A feature of the fall army worm's attack, and the one from which it 

 has received its name, is that it is seldom observed to travel in num- 

 bers, save perhaps in the extreme South, until the fall, at least not 

 earlier than the first of August, while the outbreaks of the common 

 army worm occur usually prior to that time and seldom later. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The fall army worm, on account of its somewhat smaller size, less 

 conspicuous appearance and more concealed manner of living, and from 



