CUCUMBER PESTS 
Ait ty She : 
Fig. 1. Northern Leaf-Footed Plant Bug. 
of the Southern states, including North 
Carolina. 
Hand picking as for other plant bugs 
and destruction of young nymphs by 
kerosene emulsions are the remedies sug- 
gested. 
Pickle Worm 
Margaronia nitidalis Cramer 
Description 
The parent of the pickle worm is a 
night flying moth of rather distinctive ap- 
pearance (Fig. 1). The general color, is 
yellowish brown. The front wings bear a 
‘yellowish, semi-hyaline spot near the cen- 
ter, and the hindwings have the inner 
two-thirds of the same appearance. The 
abdomen terminates in a large movable 
brush composed of numerous elongated 
scales. In size the moths have a wing 
expanse of a little over one inch, while the 
body averages about five-eighths of an 
inch from the tip of the head to the end 
of the brush. The shy, retiring habits of 
these moths prevent their being often ob- 
served, for they seldom fly in the day- 
time, unless disturbed, and then quickly 
attempt to hide. In this respect they dif- 
fer from the melon worm moths, which 
are often seen flying about cucurbit fields 
during August or September. 
859 
Eggs 
Freshly laid eggs are white, but soon 
turn yellowish, as the larvae inside devel- 
op. They may be laid singly, but more 
commonly in clusters of from three to 
eight, on bloom buds, leaf stalks, or 
leaves, and are usually attached to the 
plant hairs in such a manner that the 
egg mass seems to be pierced by the hair. 
The eggs hatch in warm weather in about 
four days. 
Larvae 
Very young larvae are uniformly yellow- 
ish white, but after a few days the body 
segments show transverse rows of brown 
spots, which become more prominent and 
nearly black in color before the fourth 
molt is passed (Fig. 1). Larvae molt 
four times before attaining full growth, 
and their distinctive marking, previous 
to the fourth molt, enables one to separate 
them readily from the related species 
called the melon worm. After the fourth 
molt pickle worms become greatly changed 
in appearance by practically losing the 
transverse blackish spots. Pickle worms 
feed in bud clusters, blooms or fruit and 
often in the vines, but seldom feed, like 
melon worms, on. the foliage. 
Fig. 1. Pickle Worm. 1, Moth magnified twice; 
2, Larva before fourth moult; 3, larva ready 
to pupate. 
