UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 363 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 
L. O. HOWARD, Chief 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER. May 8, 1916. 
THE PINK CORN-WORM: 
AN INSECT DESTRUCTIVE TO CORN IN THE CRIB. 
By F. H. Curtrenven, In Charge of Truck Crop and Stored Product Insect Investigations. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page 
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INTRODUCTION. 
For nearly three-fourths of a century the larva of a small moth (Ba- 
trachedra rileyi Wals.), commonly known as the pink corn-worm (fig. 1), 
has been found in corn in the 
field and in store as well as in 
blasted cotton bolls. Itwas 
not, however, until the year 
1914 that this species was Fie. 1.—The pink corn-worm (Batrachedra rileyi): Full- 
reco oniz ed asa p est. Dur- grown larva, lateral view. Enlarged. (Original.) 
ing November and December of that year complaints were made of 
damage by the pink corn-worm to corn in cribs. The number of 
complaints was enormous and the damage in Mississippi was so 
widespread that much alarm was felt in infested districts. The 
correspondence, which will presently be quoted, shows plainly the 
extent of the insect’s ravages as also the fear that entire crops 
NotEe.—This bulletin points out the increasing menace of this insect, which has never been considered 
a serious enemy of grain, but now assumes nearly the same importance as the Angoumois grain moth and is 
much more troublesome than the European grain moth. It also recommends methods of control. It 
will prove of interest to farmers in the region extending from South Carolina westward to central Texas, 
southward to southern Texas, and northward to Arxansas and Tennessee. 
26427°—Bull. 363—16——1 
