10 
No. 3, MAY, iqoo. 
THE BEET ARMY-WORM. 
BY CLARENCE F. GILLETTE. 
The caterpillar which did so much injury to sugar beets 
in the vicinity of Grand Junction last year will doubtless ap¬ 
pear again this summer. While the insect has long been 
known to entomologists, last year was the first that it has ever 
been reported doing serious harm to any crop. 
While the life habits of the insect have never been 
studied, it seems probable, from what the writer could learn 
of it last summer and fall, that it has two broods in the 
course of a year. The caterpillars that were so abundant 
during August last year entered the ground and then ap¬ 
peared again as moths in September. There were few ene¬ 
mies to destroy the caterpillars and the moths hatched in 
enormous numbers. These moths, like house-flies and 
mosquitos, seek every available place of protection from 
winter’s storm and cold that they may live (hibernate) 
until spring. When vegetation starts the moths, laden with 
eggs, go in search of beets or other plants furnishing suit¬ 
able food, to deposit their eggs and thus provide for an 
early brood of worms. If ten per cent, of the fall brood of 
moths survived the winter, there is serious danger that beets 
will fare worse this summer than they did last, unless grow¬ 
ers are early on their guard to make thorough and timely 
application of effectual remedies. Just here let me warn all 
against experimenting with new or patent remedies which 
some friend or vendor may think entirely satisfactory. Use 
such remedies very cautiously and sparingly at first, or do 
not use them at all. 
From what could be gathered last summer, it seems 
that there was a first brood of caterpillars at about the time 
for thinning the beets, which, in some cases, destroyed most 
of the plants after thinning. 
REMEDIES. 
Experiments tried last summer proved that the com¬ 
mon poisons, Paris green, London purple, and white arse¬ 
nic, will destroy the caterpillars if well distributed 
upon the beets. 1'hese poisons may be applied dry or in 
w^ter. If the caterpillars appear upon the beets while the 
