74 
TURNIP. 
Surface Caterpillars; Caterpillars of the Turnip or Dart 
Moth. Agrotis segetum , Westwood. 
Agrotis segetum. 
Common Dart Moth ; 1, moth ; 2, caterpillar. 
Each year the damage caused by surface caterpillars becomes more 
and more plainly shown, both in the extent of their depredations and 
in the variety of field-crops, which they injure to a serious extent 
in the spring, as well as in the late summer and autumn. 
The description of these grubs and their habits has been given 
previously in these Reports, but it may be just mentioned that the 
Turnip Moths commonly appear early in summer, and the caterpillars 
hatch in about a fortnight after the eggs are laid. These caterpillars 
live through the winter, which is a very important item in their 
history, as thus, under circumstances favourable to them, we have 
sometimes a spring attack of the full-grown grubs before they turn to 
the chrysalis-state in the earth, from which the moths come out 
in about a month. 
In 1884, Mr. Glenny, of Barking, recorded, on the 27th March :— 
“We have had plenty of the Cabbage grub marching about lately, 
which is an uncommon outcome of a mild winter. I never 
noticed them so lively in February before.” 
A bad attack followed this early appearance, and in the past season 
of 1885 the grubs were again recorded as being seen early; and we 
know only too well that their autumn devastations were a very serious 
matter. 
Mr. Hart, of Park Farm, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent, noticed as 
follows :— 
“ Surface Caterpillars .—Early in March it became evident that 
there was something wrong with Winter Beans, and, as the month 
advanced and dry winds prevailed, the Bean-tops were blown in all 
directions, leaving the ground bare in certain places. It was some 
