C. S. D. A., P.. B. Bui. 66, Part V. Issued January 28, 1909. 
SOME INSECTS. INJURIOUS TO TRUCK CROPS. 
THE SEMITROPICAL ARMY WORM. 
i Prodi iiiu eridania < 'ram.) 
By F. H. Chittenden and II. M. Russell. 
INTRODUCTION. 
During the summer of 1907 a smooth or hairless caterpillar {Pro- 
denia eridania Cram.) related to the cotton cutworm came under the 
observation of the junior author at Orlando, Fla. It was observed 
attacking the foliage and, in many cases, the stems and fruits of all 
forms of garden truck grown in that vicinity, the list including 
tomato, potato, sweet-potato, eggplant, pepper, okra. collards. and 
cowpeas. The infestation was of considerable severity, and great in- 
jury was done in fields and gardens in that and in some other regions 
of Florida, notably at St. Augustine and on the west coast of the 
Manatee River. What is believed to be the same specif- was reported 
injurious in Porto Rico by Mr. W. V. Tower. Aside from a brief 
notice which has been made of the present invasion there does not 
appear to be any other record of the injurious habits of this species; 
hence the following account has been prepared for publication by the 
senior author. The chapters on recent injuries, natural enemies, and 
experiments with remedies have been compiled from the junior au- 
thor's notes. The technical descriptions of the egg and larva have 
been prepared by Dr. H. G. Dyar, while other assistance in the prep- 
aration of this article is duly acknowledged in its proper place. 
In ordinary seasons the species under consideration confines itself 
largely to weeds, among which are the poke-weed, spiny amaranth 
or careless weed of the South, and a wild Solatium. It has habits 
different from those of the northern cutworms and can scarcely be 
classified with the climbing cutworms, although it has the climbing 
habit. It has a decided tendency to travel in armies like the army 
worms and i- practically confined to semitropical region-. It is 
remarkable ;is being injurious throughout the warm season and breed- 
ing continuously, there being evidently at least four generations a 
year in nature. 
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