Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1914-06-25
DESTROY THE
M|LLERs, SURE
Pest is the Adult Form Of the
Cut Worm--Som Facts
About Them.

The unusual miller invasion of
late has caused much annoyance.
These pests seem to have almost
dropped out of the clouds in count
less numbers. G. A. Montgomery of
Fullerton, who is of an observing
turn of mind, writes a La Moure
newspaper as follows of his own ex-
perience in dealing with the pests:
Il am dropping you the few words
to let you know how we get rid of
millers.
"Take a tub of water, put some
kerosene on the water, put a bucket
or box in the tub level with top of
water, set lantern in the box, place
the tub as high in the building as
possible.
"Yours for less millers,
&c. A. MONTGOMERY"
The Moth Miller.
In response to an inquiry, c. B.
Waldron, horticulturist of the Ex-
pertinent Station, says that "the mil
lers are the adult form of the cut
worm. The moths themselves do not
do any harm but the larvae which
hatch from the eggs which they lay
are a serious pest, as can be seen by
reading the press bulletin, as fol-
lows"
Cut Worms.
plant for several years past on the
part Of both farmers and gardeners
as to the damage done by the cut
worms.
"The cut worm is the larval form
of some of the many species of
Owlet moths. These moths are COM
monty known under the name of
Moth Miller, There are several
species Of Owlet moth, the larvae of
which, are more or less destructive.
These different species closely re-
semble each other and as their life
history is very much the same it is
not of Importance to give an accu-
rate description of any one of the
species. The moths are of mot
tied gray or grayish brown color.
The under or hind wings are lighter
in color and somewhat thinner in
texture than the upper or forewings.
The forewings are nearly an inch in
length so that the moth expands to
a width of about two inches. The
moths first appear about midsummer
and are common from that time un-
til late in September. They fly al
most wholly at night and in the day
time conceal themselves about the
fences, trees, etc. They
are often seen in the evening flying
about lamps when they can gain en-
trance to the house.
"The moths begin laying their
eggs shortly after the middle of July
and continue this process until cold
weather in the fall. Each female
lays from two hundred to five hun
dred eggs. The eggs for the most
part are deposited on the stems of
grasses and weeds close to the
ground. On this account meadows,
lawns and fields that have been al
lowed to grow up to grass and weeds
during the latter part of the sum-
mer are places where the cut worms
are usually found. The eggs hatch
within a few days when the larvae
begin feeding upon the roots of the
plants. At this time of the year the
plant food is 80 abundant that the
work of the cut worms is unnottced.
AS they feed they increase in size.
moling their skin two or three times
before winter. At the beginning Of
winter they are usually from three
fourths of an inch to an inch in
length. AS winter approaches they
bury themselves a short distance be-
low the ground, where the hibernate.
With the beginning of spring they
again become active. This time
upon the young plants as
they are transplanted in the garden
or upon the young corn, fax or grain
plants as they begin their growth.
It is at this time of the year that
their destructiveness becomes more
apparent as their food supply is linz
tied to tho young plants. Where
these young plants are very nuner-
GUS as in the grain field it is only
occasionally that their destructive
ness is sufficient to greatly damage
the crop, though in certain seasons
t1,n,, haua haan known IN take nrac.