60 
SOME INSECTS INJURIOUS TO TRUCK CROPS. 
field and at the insectary at Washington, D. C, show that this 
species is undoubtedly a continuous breeder, as in the case of the 
variegated cutworm {Peridroma margaritosa Haw.), the larva? being 
present in the field throughout the long summer season of the South. 
July 30, by request of the county commissioner, Mr. H. H. Dick- 
son, the junior author went to the County Home and found a sweet- 
potato patch badly infested, thousands of larvae present, and the 
leaves turning brown and drying out. Superintendent Harris stated 
that an earlier brood did great damage to cowpeas, but this could 
not be verified by specimens. In the sweet-potato field the larva? 
started on the south side and, after stripping the first four or five 
rows, moved over to the next rows and eventually infested the entire 
Fig. 10. — The semitropieal army worm (Prodenia eriflania) : Field of late Irish potatoes 
showing vines entirely stripped by larvse ; Orlando, Fla., July 6, 1907. (Original.) 
field. A Mr. Porter, near the County Home, reported 5 acres 
stripped in three days after the larvse were noticed at work, these 
having started at one side of the field and swept it clean. The 
larva? of a third generation were observed at Mr. Cheney's place at 
this time; most of them, however, had already gone into the earth 
to transform. 
August 3, adults that had pupated about July 25 began to emerge. 
Thus the pupal period occupied about nine days. At this time a 
number of young larvae Avere noted feeding upon amaranth, wild 
Solanum, and castor-oil plants. When disturbed they dropped and 
hung by threads. 
