10 BULLETIN 363, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
vested in October and November. Mr. Diggs reported that he found 
the worst damage in immature or imperfect ears where the bollworm 
or birds had attacked the ear. 
During the last days of December, and on January 1, this species 
was reared from different lots of corn received from Mississippi. 
One of these localities is Sardis; anotker is Batesville. The material 
was received about November 19. 
Twenty ears of corn were received on January 7 from Mr. Thos. H. 
Jones, of the Bureau of Entomology, Baton Rouge, La.; all were 
imperfect, every ear having been mjured and much stunted by the 
corn-ear worm (Heliothis obsoleta). The larval forms of Batrachedra 
rileyi were crawling over the husks of the corn in great numbers, 
as also on the inside of the bags, seeking a suitable spot for pupa- 
tion. There were approximately 400 larve of various sizes. The 
larvee worked on the underside of the grain, especially in the decaying 
erains or parts of the ears, but the actual damage resulting in this 
instance was not great. Pupz were also found in various places— 
in the husks, beneath the hollow grain, in the cob, and among the 
castings on the ear. Mr. Jones wrote as follows: 
Larvee were common in undeveloped and poorly formed ears of yellow flint corn in 
a field at Baton Rouge, on January 2. The valuable ears had been pulled from the 
stalks in the fall, the stalks at present being dead and brown and, for the most part, 
still standing. The larvze were found beneath the husk, working on the surface of the 
cob among the remains of the kernels, many of which have never matured. 
January 29, Mr. J. J. W. Smith, Waterford, Marshall County, Miss., 
sent three ears of corn badly infested with the little worms. They 
were described as doing much damage to the corn. 
They go from one end to the other in the heart of the corn. Shucking the corn out 
is the best and safest way to save the corn. Cold weather does not seem to have any 
effect on them while the shuck is on the corn. But when the corn is shucked and 
knocked about it helps the corn and does not give the worms such a good chance. 
February 1, Mr. W. T. McDonald, Bailey, Miss., sent specimens 
working in corn ears injured by the corn-ear worm, with the state- 
ment—— 
we attribute the heavy infestation of the worms this season to the extreme dry weather 
while the corn was making. I find on my place that the corn worst hurt by the 
drought is worst infested by the ‘‘worms.’? * * *. I have never had any experi- 
ence with the pest prior to the present season, and I may be in error. 
Similar complaints were also received of injury to corn from various 
other localities, as follows: Brownsville, Tex., reported by M. M. 
High; Lawrence, Union, Saltillo, Harris, Louin, Battlefield, Chunky, 
Coila, Beach, and Thyatira, Miss.; Fayette, Ala., and Scott, Ark. 
The insect has been reported by Prof. J. M. Beal, Agricultural Col- 
lege, Miss., to have attacked Kafir corn. During November of 1915 
complaint of injury by this species was made at Quitman, Miss. 
