Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-09-26
CORN EAR WORM
IS DESTRUCTIVE
Expert on This Pest Says 1t
Destroys From 5 to 10 Per
Cent of Field Crop
Each Year.
NY Paul Hayhurst, Professor Of Ento-
Esosagy, University of Arkansas.)

Tb2 corn ear worm is the worm
s0EArnenly found in the ears of grow I
lng earn. 1t is the worst corn pest of F
Arkaasas, and is destructive wherever
This cereal is grown. Its damage gem
HfRiiy amounts to at least to 10 per
can't OF the field OF corn, and Is per
eane or all of the sugar-corn crops.
This is the same worm that makes
holes IN the leaves of corn early in
The season and fills the unfolding
3sayes with its exerement. 1t feeds on
Mt least 20 kinds of plants, and is
known as the cotton boll.worm, the
tomato fruit-worm and the tobacco
bUS-wurm.
Cama &c to Corn.
When the corn is small the young
WorzMs eat through the opening leaves
mus producing many irregular holes
Ia the leaves, as they unfold. They
1Ater attack the ears and tassels as
Room as these begin to form, where
3AeY feed III preference to the leaves.
The Eorms eat of the silk, and most
q them enter the ear through this
and fRed on the kernels and the cob
clear down to the base of the ear.
The openings which they make let in
1anex that sometimes causes the whole
ar TO- mold. In field corn not over
or 2 per cent is usually free from
xheae worms. This pest is trouble
Aoma every year.
Natural History
In order to understand the methods
- control given below, it will be
necessary 10 tell the gist of what is
knoNn about the habits of the pest.
Tia corn ear worm is the larva of
1nn-eoIored moth with a wing-expanse
" little over an inch. In this state
Shey aome out of the pupal stage in
May, and each female lays an average
at 1900 eggs on the food plants of
cha worms, which hatch in about
week into Tiny caterpillars that grow
Sapi1ly until they are recognized as
ohe yariously colored worms known
by the names above. The full grown
WORMS are about / 10 inches long,
and seem naked to the unaided eye,
but they are really beset with very
wrtalI, sparse hair They are com
aronly more or less striped the long
why or the back, and are of many
shades Of grey. brown or green or
eren rose colored. They get their full
Hfuwth In one month, when they enter
2hs soil and transform at the bottom
nj tunnels 2 to inches deep into
hfcwnlsh pupae In two or three
weeks the second generation of moths
scssne out of the ground. These indi-
'sseaais lay their eggs on the silk and
Ssxkssis as well as the leaves of corn,
and the second generation of larvae
are the most destructive on corn
~ hen tflesa worms become pupae, the
anrs are beginning 10 harden, so that
when the third generation of moths
appear they are too tough for their
Ypsamg worms of the next generation,
and therefore the moths generally fly
o. their plants to lay their eggs. In
nnAton sections they deposit for the
AAst part on cotton, and thus the Il
dAfsd generation of worms become
~ cotton boll worm. (See Ark. Elk,
pr. Station Giro. No. ~
Natural Enemies. +,
Tha worst enemies of the corn ear II
A9fms are the worms themselves, n
Stnce they are canabalstic. Some G
aands Of birds are also of great service :.
N destroying these pests. Those that :,
have been observed to feed on them
me the Following: The red-winged y
>asckbfrd. the, common blackbird, the ~
s0wbird, bobwhite, and the readhead. ii
a voodpecker. Unfortunately the II
afst named bird is not common In II
Arkansas. All these birds should be t.
pneouraged, especially where corn is Is
kzUvn< Il
:, Control Measures.
No thoroughly satisfactory methods I
n control are known. Spraying can l
~ hep practical The pest is easier
n control as a cotton than as a corn Z
aneact ON account of it's greater fond 9
.~sx Tor corn. Flowing the land fully
III inches deep in the late fall or y
naxay winter and leaving the land lying :
Arnkcn until spring will kill large
ngaporti0n of the pupae. This method
- not be practiced where the soil
= n moor as to need more humus and
.s&rxtes. So many lands suffer for :.
- smprovement that fall blowing
- not be generally advised. Wher'
~rer cover crops consisting OF rye
M feeumes should be grown 1t is
AFTER t. let them stand all winter 4
~-~~~--~~>-->---~"
WAen small runs are used, sorape
- sweep them before heavy rams
YAan turn the ground over ana so"
ankk
Il Keen lookout for colds: it means
80. II You let it run. Use little