15 
a broad black or dusky band, deepest at the middle and along each 
margin. On each flank is a series of stripes, consisting of a median 
black or dusky band, on each side of which is a greenish or yellow 
stripe of equal width, margined on either hand with dingy white 
that is set off by a mere line of dark. Down the middle of the 
back is an interrupted narrow white line, often clearly seen only 
near the head.'’—(Comstock.) 
According to Prof. Eiley, the larvae reared by him in a uniform 
temperature of 80° developed very rapidly, undergoing five moults 
with but an average interval of three days between these changes. 
He also found that larvae from the same batch of eggs, although 
under the same treatment, presented considerable variation in the 
rate of development, some of them passing through the last moult 
before others had reached the fourth. 
They are exceedingly voracious both in confinement and in their 
natural state, devouring large quantities of food; but, according to 
my observations, the growth of those that migrate is nothing like 
so rapid as when in confinement or when they remain sedentary in 
the character of cut-worms. Their injuries are confined almost 
exclusively to grasses or allied plants, such as wheat, oats, corn, etc. 
In some instances they have been known to eat sparingly of the 
leaves of turnips and a few other plants, but such cases appear to 
be rare. The most notable variation from this rule was in 1861, 
when the weeds in the fence corners were eaten by them while on 
the march from one field to another, and, as will be seen by the 
quotation below from the Prairie Farmer, even attacked gardens 
and woody plants. They are exceedingly fond of timothy and young 
corn, devouring not only the leaves of the former, but also the 
heads, leaving nothing but a field of slender stems when very 
numerous. When attacking wheat they usually eat only the leaves ; 
sometimes they make a commencement on the heads, but usually 
soon leave them without doing much injury; occasionally they cut 
off a few heads but seldom if ever to any great extent. As the 
weather is usually damp when they appear in great numbers, and 
hence the wheat strong and vigorous and liable to rust, they seldom 
do it any serious injury. 
The following statement in the Prairie Farmer of June 13, 1861, 
is of interest at this point. “The indications up to the last few days 
have been very promising for an abundant yield of wheat and grass, 
but we have been suddenly checked in our high expectations by the 
appearance of the Army-worm in great numbers, and they have 
completely mowed all the meadows in the vicinity, and the wheat 
has not escaped them. Many fields have been stripped of every 
blade and in some they have attacked the heads. Whether they 
will do any serious damage to wheat is more than I can tell; 
in several localities it is quite difficult to keep them out of the 
houses.” 
The strongest statement in reference to the injury occasioned by 
them and respecting their voraciousness, is an editorial in the same 
paper (same date) evidently from the pen of Mr. Emery, who trav¬ 
eled over the sections of the State in which they were most abun¬ 
dant, in order to observe their operations: “Frightful indeed are 
