Climbing 

 cutworm. 



Claybacked 

 cutworm. 



Spotted 

 Cutworm. 



those species that pass the winter 

 in the larval stage. Some species 

 can live a month without food and 

 others thrive on dry vegetation. 



In southernmost areas, the prac- 

 tice of keeping land free of green 

 vegetation by cultivation for at 

 least 60 days before setting tobacco 

 plants has reduced cutworm dam- 

 age. During this interval there is 

 no vegetation to attact egg-laying 

 moths ; the cutworms already in the 

 soil continue their development, and 

 by the time tobacco is set out most 

 of them have passed into the harm- 

 less pupal stage. Spring plowing 

 or harrowing may reduce cutworm 

 infestations on following crops by 

 destroying larvae or pupae, reduc- 

 ing food supply, and eliminating 

 green vegetation favorable to egg 

 laying of most species. 



Control in Plant Beds 



Burning, steaming, or fumigat- 

 ing plant bed soil, for eliminating 



weed seeds and disease organisms 

 before sowing, kills cutworms near 

 the surface. A well-constructed 

 plant bed, having log or board side- 

 wall barriers, helps prevent infesta- 

 tions during the growing period. 



Even if you do these things, watch 

 plant beds carefully for signs of 

 cutworm injury. Apply insecti- 

 cides at the first indications of dam- 

 age to seedlings. Use baits, dusts, 

 or sprays. 



Baits. — You can prepare a satis- 

 factory bait for cutworms by 

 thoroughly mixing the following 

 ingredients : 



Wheat bran 50 pounds 



Aldrin, 25% wettable powder 4 ounces 



Water to moisten 



In place of aldrin, you may sub- 

 stitute 1 pound of 50-percent chlor- 

 dane wettable powder, 4 ounces of 

 25-percent dieklrin wettable pow- 

 der, or 8 ounces of 25-percent hepta- 

 chlor wettable powder. 



