312 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 17 
CAENURGIA ERECHTEA (CRAM) (NOCTUIDAE) AS AN 
ALFALFA PEST IN KANSAS 1 
By Roger C. Smith, Kansas State Agricultural Experiment Station 
Abstract 
A common insect in alfalfa, clover and pastures of Kansas; occasionally numerous 
but not seriously injurious. The name “Forage looper” is proposed for it. Over¬ 
winters as a pupa and possibly as a partly grown larva. Three and a partial fourth 
generations annually. All stages described and biological data summarized. Nat¬ 
ural enemies effective. Cutting alfalfa results in death of many of the larvae. 
During the progress of a Kansas experiment station project on alfalfa 
insects, it was observed that Caenurgia erechtea (Cram.), better known 
as Drasteria erechtea Cram, was present constantly in alfalfa fields 
and occasionally in considerable numbers. It has been reported fre¬ 
quently in the literature as occurring in clover fields, but always as a 
minor pest. In Virginia, the writer observed this insect during two years 
in clover fields, but it was never seriously abundant. It was also very 
common in grass pastures and was known locally as the “grass worm.” 
Several common names have been proposed for this insect. Com¬ 
stock (1917) suggests “Clover looping owlet moth;” Saunders (1875) 
the “Common Drasteria,” and O’Kane (1912), the “Northern grass 
worm.” All of these are open to objection and criticism in the light 
of later knowledge so the author proposes the name “Forage looper” 
because the larva has a looping gait, and all stages occur in pasture, 
grassy places, fields of clover and alffala. This name was submitted to 
the committee on nomenclature, and was approved by it. 
The other well known species of Caenurgia, crassiuscula Haw. is very 
uncommon in Kansas. It was collected only a few times and was never 
reared. The larval characters are not known to the writer. 
This is one of our common noctuids, and published records show the 
distribution to be the Atlantic states to Florida, west to British Columbia 
and California. It is apparently plentiful throughout its range. In 
Kansas it is occasionally the most abundant lepidopterous insect in 
alfalfa; therefore, considerable rearing and field observations were 
carried on for a period of four seasons. While not a major pest of the 
Contribution No. 325, from the Entomological Laboratory, Kansas State Agri¬ 
cultural College. This paper embodies some of the results obtained in Experiment 
Station project No. 115. 
The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to certain undergraduate and 
graduate students in the field and rearing work. Chief among these is Mr. Edgar 
Davis who assisted especially in the rearing work and preparation of the tables. 
Further acknowledgment is made to Mr. S. Fred Prince for the drawings, to Dr. 
W. T. M. Forbes, the United States Bureau of Entomology for determinations, and 
the latter for Mr. Heinrich’s work on the setal maps. 
