85 
white with a pearly luster, but soon changing to a pinkish tint, 
and finally, shortly before hatching, to lilac or darker. A single 
moth may lay as many as 300 to 500 eggs, or even more, deposit¬ 
ing them in masses of 60 and upwards (Fig. 1, /). The small 
Fig. 1. Variegated Cutworm, Peridroma margaritosa: a, adult; 
b, larva, side view; c, same, curled up; d, dark-colored larva, seen 
from above; e, single egg; f, cluster of eggs on twig. All natural 
size except egg. (U. S. Dept, of Agriculture.) 
larva, hatching from the egg in 5 or 6 days, first eats the egg¬ 
shell from which it has emerged, and then begins to feed on the 
leaves or buds. It is usually active only at night, remaining 
hidden during the day in the earth, or under boards and debris 
near the plant. When full grown (Fig. 1 , b, c, d) it is about an 
inch and a half long, and is generally dull blackish-brown mottled 
with gray. The coloration is quite variable, however, some speci¬ 
mens being,paler and others a little darker. A distinctive mark¬ 
ing is a row of 4 to 6 yellowish spots along the middle of the 
back. In 25 to 30 days the cutworm, now full grown, goes into 
the ground, forms for itself an oval earthen cell, and changes 
into a reddish brown pupa, in which stage it remains in a dormant 
condition from 15 to 19 days. The moth (Fig. 1, a) emerging 
from this pupa is brownish with black mottling, and measures 
about 1^/4. inches across the wings. It lives 7 to 10 days, re¬ 
maining hidden during the day and flying about at night, at which 
time the eggs are deposited. Thus the complete life cycle re¬ 
quires 45 to 54 days—more or less, according to temperature and 
food. 
