38 
oping on weeds related to beets and invading corntields and vegetable 
gardens when the supply of wild food plants and weeds is scant. 
Still a third species, the imported cabbage webworm, occasionally 
occurs on beets, but, as its name indicates, it is a cabbage pest, prop- 
erl}^ speaking, and does not resort to other i^lants when Cruciferae are 
available. 
THE SUGAR-BEET WEBWORM. 
{Loxostege sticticalis Linn.) « 
Although primarily a sugar-beet insect, this species, like many 
others that have been treated, is a periodical pest, and, as it is an 
introduction from abroad and widening its range, there is likelihood 
that it will in time assume greater economic importance. It is cousin 
to the native p-arden webworm, but the moth is laro^er. darker col- 
ored, and the markings are somewhat more pronounced. With the 
Fig. 3-i. — Loxostege sticticalis: a, moth, twice natural size; 6, larva, less enlarged; c, upper surface of 
first proleg segment of larva; d, side ^i.ew of same; c, d, more enlarged (;reengraved after Insect 
Life, Division of Entomology). 
wings fully expanded it measures nearly an inch and is of a purplish 
brown color, with darker and paler bands, as shown in figure Stt, a. 
The pale-3'ellow eggs are laid singly or in rows of two to five or 
more, overlapping like scales. The 3'oung webworms are whitish, 
with polished black head and piliferous spots. Mature caterpillars 
(h) are darker than the garden webworm. with a preponderance in 
longitudinal markings. 
It is an inhabitant of western and central Europe and northern Asia, 
and has evidently, like the beet army worm, been introduced from the 
Orient on the Pacific coast, and is now slowly but steadily pushing its 
way eastward. In 18G9 it came under observation in Utah, and by 
1873 had found its way to Missouri. It occurs southward to Kansas 
and as far north and east as Michigan, but the major portion of 
reported injuries have occurred in Kansas and Nebraska. 
Practicallv all that is known of the bioloo'V of this webworm is from 
« Riley & Howard, Insect Life, Vol. Y, pp. 320-322; Vol. VI, pp. 369-373; Chit- 
tenden, Bui. 33, new series, pp. 46-49. 
