The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-17
The Cotton Caterpillar.

80 flIlOWs in the January bulletin OF the
c,,rgia governmental station: The insect
,rbicb forms the subject of this sketch has
-o,sived g number of names. The scientific
.,o-,a nv which it is now known is Aletid
or,ilIqcea. Popularity it is known simply
- the cotton caterpillar or cotton worm.
The eggs are so small as to be easily over
Looked. They are flattened objects about
ora-fortieth of an inch in diameter, blush
(,raan when first laid, but becoming white
istaron The eggs are found no the under
si5a If the leaves, not as was once thought
ON any special part of the plant, for eggs
are lust as apt to be found no mature leaves
as on Young ones. They ate never, so far
asI have seen, laid in clusters, but always
sinrlv, and l have never seen more
than two or three eggs on a leaf,
although a greater number than this is said
70 occur. The length of time before hatch
ing varies according to the season. In the
summer they are said to hatch in two days.
Tbave kept them in September for five
DAYS. but could not tell how long they had
been laid when they W ere brought to me.
The caterpillars which hatch from these
eggs are at first pale green or greenish
white, with pale yellow head. They are
very small and delicate, but they at once
begin to feed on the cotton leaves, and by
the time they are four days old they have
grown considerably and are able to damage
the plant greatly. The growth Of the cater
pillar is accompanied by several mouths
which take place at intervals of about three
days. The fully grown form is very differ
ent in appearance from the newly Matched
arva. Its appearance is so familiar as to
render a detailed description unnecessary.
Suffice it to say, that the length of the
fully grown caterpillar is about IL inches,
and that there is considerable difference in
the color and marking of individual speci-
mems. The usual number of legs-eight
pair-are present, but the fourth pair phe
first abdominal legs are very little devel-
oped.
When the caterpillar has about finished
its work of devastation it rolls leaf over
itself, fastening it down with silk. 1t
then spins delicate cocoon within which it
transforms into pupa. This is usually of
dark color, sometimes nearly black. They
are frequently found in cotton fields sus-
pended from leaves and Entirely unpro-
tected. This is due to the fact that the leaf
which originally surrounded the cocoon has
been eaten away by other caterpillars.
The cotton moth or cotton fly is o me
dunn sized one, the expanse of wings vary
ing from one and quarter to one and
half inches. The color of the upper surface
of the moth is light brown. The front
wings have a conspicuous dark spot near
the center, and there are also three small
white spots near the anterior border. In
addition, there are on the fore wings sew
eral undulating lines which are very char
acteristc and enable this moth to be distin-
guished with certainty from all others.
Themoth flies only at night, spending the
the day in sheltered situations Its charac-
teristic position when at rest is with the
fore wings folded back and covering the
hind ones. The moths are not themselves
injurious TO cotton, but spend their time
sucking nectar from the cotton leaves and
blooms. They have also been observed
feeding upon other plants which furnish a
sweet secretion. The female begins to lay
her eggs in two to four days after escaping
from the pupa case. She may continue
this for as many as twenty-one nights, and
the total number of eggs laid is estimated
at about 400.
The time Of first appearance, number of
broods and method of passing the winter,
are questions of great Importance in the
study of every injurious insect, and in no
case more than the one under considera-
tiou. If we are willing to wait until cot
ton crop is well nigh destroyed they concern
US but little, but if we aim at anticipating
the trouble, and applying the ounce of pre-
vention in time to save the crop these are
the very points upon which success will de-
pend.
The question of Information of the cotton
moth is now regarded as about settled but
it required the united efforts of many men
to solve it, and that only after long and pa
tent study. Without going into theories
now believed to be erroneous, it may be said
that the adult moth alone passes the win
ter, and that only in the southern portions
Of the cotton belt. All those that happen
to be north of the frost line are destroyed
by cold, and when spring opens it finds the
number of moths greatly diminished. Upon
these few rests the burden of furnishing the
entire stock of caterpillars for the ensuing
season. The first two broods of caterpillars
are relatively small and are apt to escape
observation unless carefully looked for.
They are confined to the region in which
the moths have hibernated-Florida and
South Texas. The third brood, which ap-
pears there in the latter part of June, is so
numerous that the moths begin to migrate
IN search OF more abundant food, their
great powers of flight enabling them to 60
long distances and scatter all over the cot
ton belt. The total number of generations
In those regions where the moth lives the
whole year is at least seven, but not more
than five of these extend into the northern
part of the cotton belt.
The foregoing account of the anatomy
and habit of the cotton worm is it is hoped
suinciently minute for our present purpose.
1t remains yet to consider some of the phe-
homena connected with its appearance in
our own state during the past season, to-
gether with the remedies used and the sue
cess or lack of success attending the same
1t Is pretty well settled fact that mete-
geological and other conditions affect the
-