98 



some animal of greater intelligence. The larva of this particular spe- 

 cies of Agrotis is exceedingly active, reminding one not a little of some 

 of the chipmunks among the rodents. 



A second species that much interested me is the larva of an Agrotis sp. 

 that was exceedingly numerous upon the college farm and adjoining tracts 

 to the eastward of the city. This latter worm worked on various plants 

 in the garden, but on the farm showed decided taste for clover. Here 

 it literally "lived in clover" in large numbers. The different kinds of 

 clover growing in the experimental plats suffered much. It was here 

 that one of the instances above cited of cut- worms cultivating the soil 

 occurred. 



The remedies used against these different cut- worms varied somewhat 

 in their character ; but they were chiefly hand picked or crushed. Many 

 of the worms also perished from the attacks of predaceous beetles either 

 in the larval or imago stages, and of parasites of one or another sort. 

 A few of them also from diseases that resulted from the presence of 

 fungi or bacteria. The parasitized worms were the result of the eggs 

 laid by Tachina flies in most cases. The A. annexa larva3 suffered most 

 in this respect, on account of their habit of coming out to feed during 

 the day-time. 



ARMY-WORM. 



As the State grows older in its settlement the reports of Army-worm 

 depredations become more frequent year by year. Last year I reported 

 the appearance and damage by this insect in the extreme northwestern 

 part of Nebraska, as well as in portions of southwestern Dakota. 

 During the present year several localities in northeastern Nebraska 

 were overrun to a limited extent by the larvae of Leucania unipuncta. 

 None of these areas infested were of very great extent, nor was the 

 injury committed complete in any of the cases coming to my notice. 

 Millet and oat fields were the chief sufferers. 



A small black fly was bred from larvae received from Mr. J. M. Sey- 

 more, of Pender, Thurston County. This fly has frequently been .ob- 

 served by me at various points in northern Nebraska, where I have 

 taken it in my net when sweeping for other insects on the prairie. It 

 must be a regular enemy of Leucania unipuncta, and perhaps also of 

 other allied species, since it is by no means an uncommon insect every 

 year. Others of the flesh-flies (Tachinidse) also act as guards agaiust 

 this insect's rapid increase, as can readily be seen from the fact that 

 many of the larvre taken have the eggs of these flies attached to their 

 bodies. 



Visiting again this year the region last year reported to you as hav- 

 ing the insect present in injurious numbers I was pleased to find that 

 the Leucania had not appeared in numbers sufficiently great to attract 

 the attention of those persons who lost crops by their depredations last 

 year. In fact I am pretty confident in asserting that there are no 

 grounds for fearing this insect next year, in the State of Nebraska at 

 least. 



