Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-06-24
a New Inuect---NOt the Army Worm.
v;a

tNephelodes Niolans, Guenee.1
We perceive hint of the changes that
may have taken place in species during the
progress of time from remote periods, by the
appearance in great numbers of new kinds of
insects, or those hardly known to exist till
within recent date, as the potato beetle,
and the worm that this season devastated
thousands of acres of grass lands in northern
New York. Previous to the appearance in
May, of the latter, in most of the counties of
northern New York, in such great numbers
and with such destructive force as to be mis-
taken for the army worm, it had rarely been
seen and its existence was unknown except to
few entomologists, and to them only since
1852. The following account of this new in
sect, by DIR. Lintner of Albany we take from
the Country Gentleman
Numerous accounts have been published
during the past two weeks, of the serious raw
ages of the ''army worm" in the northern
counties of the state of New York. The state
ments given of the extent and serious nature
of the depredations have not been overdrawn.
The grass on thousands of acres of pasture
land has been cut off, but we are glad to be
able to state that the roots were uniniured,
and that as the result of the late rains the
grass is starting anew. The damage infict-
ed was even greater than was supposed. An
extensive field was shown to me, which the
owner persisted in believing had not been
deprecated upon, but had been winter-killed,
until pointed out to him the green grass
stalks cut closely down to the crown and
took the caterpillar from the soil
This invasion is perhaps the most remark
able one on record. 1t was universally &C.
cepted throughout the invaded district as
visitation of the veritable army worm,
LeucdHtd uaipu1lctd. From personal inspec-
ton of the larvR and the method of their op-
erations, l could not reconcile them with
what was recorded of the species. had new
or witnessed an army worm invasion, and had
only seen alcoholic examples of the larvae in
their mature form. Upon submitting some
of the more advanced forms to Prof. Riley,
he was able to recognize them and TO refer
them to the species known as Nephelodes
Ct0ldnS described by Guenee, in 1882 and
the Larvae briefly by Prof. French of Illinois
in 1878.
Herein lies the interest of this invasion
The moth has long had place in our collec
tons, but has always been regarded as rather
rare. l never saw a perfect example of it
Not line, so far as l know, has ever beer
published of any serious depredations com
mitted by it, DIR. Thomas and Prof. French
nave stated That II ate grass, corn and knot
weed in confinement, but had never heard O.
any injuries from it. All at once it intrude
itself upon general notice, throughout nearly
all of the northern counties of our state, a
completely destroying extensive pastures in
few days time, and threatening the destruc
ton of meadows and grain fields. It created
general CONSERVATION and became the on,
topic of conversation. From obscurity,
sprang at once into the front ranks of seriou
insect pests.
Now that the species is recognized, tn,
alarm naturally excited is greatly allayed. l
is n sngle-brooded species, and is therefor
not to re-appear, as it vas apprehended i
would, later in the season. Although no para
sites have been discovered as preying upon it
it has been theoretically attacked by larg
numbers of ants, by the caterpillar. hunte
beetles, by birds, and the continued rain
have been instrumental in materially thin
ming its hosts. AS the sudden Eruption O
the species in such marvellous force can onl
be explained by a combination of favorin
circumstances existing in the past year. Their
is no probability that a similar combination
of needed conditions will occur the presen
year, to produce a recurrence of the invasio
another season.
At the present time, the ravages are great
ly abated-the larvae having about attaine
their growth, and already, it is believed, hay
ing commenced to enter the ground for pu
patton. The moths will emerge during Az
gust aud September.
For a common name to this new inseC
pest have proposed that of the grass-cuttel