The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-08-04
Something ADoa, The Army Worm.

The northern part OF our state has suf-
fered considerably this season from raid
on meadows aud grain fields by the army
worm. 1t came too late TO do much harm
to wheat, rye and barley; but rats corn
and timothy fed the armies wherever
found. Potatoes were untouched, pea
sown wlthoa were left and the oats were
eaten, and clover In timothy was left.
The true army worm seldom, II ever,
touches the sollage OF trees or shrubs.
There are many invaslons OF insects known
as the army worm, but this is the only
real army worm, and is known scientiil-
recognised by the general dIngy black
color with the following longitudinal
stripes: on the back is broad dusky stripe
with narrow white line in the center;
below this is a narrow black line, then
follows In the order named, narrow
whitellne yellowish stripe, fa,ntw white
line, a dusky stripe. a narrow white line,
yellowish stripe, and an obscure white
line; the belly is dirty green.
The army worms change but little In
color through their entire growth. Whom
fully grown they are about TX inches
long. They then bury themselves In the
ground, when they finish feeding, and
few days later transplanted to chrysalia,
or pupa. They will remain In this con-
dition until the last Of August or first Of
of September, when they will appear as
reddish brown moth similar to the dnigy
moths flying around the lights at night.
These moths do not feed on the plants,
but mate and few days later the female
will commence laying eggs on The grass
in meadows, pastures and especially waste
places; such as marshes and ''cat holes"
The moths soon die. The eggs remain
over winter, and the next spring hatch
out into small army worms that feed and
grow just as their predecessors did.
The army worm caterpillars and moths
may be found In limited numbers almost
any season. but it is on only an OCCASIONAL
season when they march out from their
usual feeding ground, the marshes, and
strip the surrounding fields of their grow
ing crops. A dry season, such as that Of
last year. Is very favorable FOR them 10
increase rapidly and soon TO spread out.
side OF the marshes on surrounding grass,
when tender food become scarce. IL pee
pie with marshes on or near their farms
would take the trouble 10 burn the mar
shes over at any convenient time during
the fall, they would burn most of the eggs
aud so prevent what might result in an
army worm invasion the next year.
The prospects are that there viii be no
general invasion next year. There are
great many parasites, such as the "blow
flies" and the slender bee-like parasites
that lay their eggs on the army worms.
TheegG matches into a maggot that feeds
on the army worm, destroys il, and later
changes into parasite like It's parent.
II the parasites have done as good work
in all the state as the regions visited by
my self, and we 60 not have dry autumn
there will lie little of an attack next year,
Is nearly every caterpillar collected has
been killed by some parasite.
When an army worm invasion occurs,
the best things that can be done is TO trap
the caterpiIiars in bitches. When they
start from their breeding ground it is in
some certain direction, aud few obstruct-
ions stop Them, or change their course.
II they come up to building, thew climb
up over 1t, and down on the other side.
aud continue on their journey. Ii 1t is
a brook, they bridge it with their num-
bers and pass on. or perish in the attempt.
When they come to ditch, they drop in
to it and attempt to climb up the other
side, out II it is properly constructed,
they will keep dropping back because of
the loose soil near the top. When the
ditch Is well covered, Kerosene may be
poured along in 1t and ignited, or straw
put in the ditch and burned. Another
method istD-pipw or cut another ditch in
front OF the FIRST ditch, and bury the
ones in the first ditch, and so continue
ditching ahead of them. When the army
is once in a field, little can be done 10
stop their ravages, except)by burning the
field or rolling with heavy roller.
G. G. DAVIS, Entomologist,
Agricultural College.