THE INSECT WORLD. 



ground. Occasionally quite large nests are built, and the cater- 

 pillars are more or less gregarious, or live together in colonies. 

 One of the injurious species is Margaronia nitidalis, quite a 

 pretty brown-and-yellow insect called the "pickle-moth," be- 

 cause the caterpillar has the habit of feeding on the cucumber, 

 boring into and destroying it when about half-grown. It is more 

 common in the Western States, and no satisfactory recommenda- 

 tions for its control have yet been made. 



The great majority of the caterpillars live upon low herbage 

 generally, rarely in numbers sufficient to cause perceptible injury, 

 and most of the species are classified under the genus Pyrausta. 

 We frequently notice, in passing through patches of ferns, that the 

 leaves, before they become entirely unfolded, are spun up and 

 held undeveloped. If we look closely we find a typical Pyralid 

 caterpillar, which is easily observed and bred, pupating in the 

 web itself, while the resulting moth is typical of this genus. 



The most troublesome species is the "garden web-worm," 

 Loxostege similalis^ or, as it used to be called, Eurycreon ran- 

 talis, and this is a great pest on vegetables of all kinds, seeming 

 indifferent to the character of its food and spinning its small web 

 everywhere on the plants. 

 It extends over most of 

 the United States, and 

 has been more or less 

 injurious in almost every 

 section ; but, like many 

 others, it seems to be 

 troublesome a year or 

 two and then escapes 

 notice for several years 

 thereafter. So far we 

 have not been able to 

 make out a regular peri- 

 - odicity, and the remedy is Paris green or one of the other arse- 

 nites where it can be practically applied. The insecticide is 

 sometimes a little slow to act because the insects are more or 

 less sheltered, and it is only when they feed outside their web 

 that they risk being poisoned. In some cases the kerosene emul- 

 sion is useful, and acts more promptly because of its ability 



Fig- 355- 



The "garden web-worm," Loxostege similalis; 

 — a, larva; b, c, single segments of same; d, 



