April, ’24] 
smith: forage looper 
313 
crop, it is one of the large group taking its toll from the crop and it 
may be of greater importance in the future. 
The best published accounts of this insect are the papers of Saunders 
(1875), French (1884), Osborn and Gossard (1891), Slingerland (1892) 
and Webster (1898). 
Seasonal History 
The insect overwinters mainly as a pupa in a silken cell just under 
the surface of the ground or in a cocoon of silk and dried leaves at the 
base of the plant. Pupae have been dug up in the spring in over¬ 
wintering cages and the moths emerged. While it is believed that the 
bulk of the overwintering forms are pupae, it is possible that half grown 
larvae may sometimes survive the winter, because a group of larvae 
lived in an outdoor cage from October 22, 1922, to the latter part of 
February, 1923. Partly grown larvae of this species can be collected in 
alfalfa fields by sweeping as late as December 1st, but it is believed 
they all or nearly all perish ordinarily before this date. The moths 
appear in the spring about the time alfalfa is beginning to grow. 
The first moths were taken on March 31, 1922 and April 8, 1923. 
The second generation of moths appears at Manhattan about June 10. 
This is a light brood, and the larvae are always scarce during this period. 
The second brood reaches maturity about July 14th. The first of the 
third brood appears as adults about August 15. At this time and 
subsequently all stages occur in the fields and the broods overlap. 
These moths deposit eggs the latter part of August and during Septem¬ 
ber. Some of the third generation pupae overwinter, others give rise 
to adults which deposit eggs for a partial fourth brood. There are thus 
three generations in Kansas of approximately a month’s duration each 
and a partial fourth, the greater number of larvae of which succumb 
to the cold of November and December. 
Life History 
The length of life in the various stages in both indoor and outdoor 
rearings is shown in Table I. 
The width of the head capsule and total length in the various stages 
of larvae are shown summarized in Table II. 
Life Stages. This insect is easily reared, the usual rearing methods 
proving satisfactory. Eggs and pupae are not easily collected in the 
field, but are readily obtained in cage rearings. The egg (Fig. 11, 8) 
has been described by French (1884) and Riley (1885). They are 
