The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-01
So

the Rocky Mountains. and the dam
aged areas extended from New York
State far to the South. At that time
Texas was included, as now. and so
were kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Indi-
ana and Illinois.
According to the entomologists
there may be from two to three gen
erations o. the army worm during
. single summer. And the same cx-
perts inform US that each succeed
ing generation usually becomes more
destructive than that which precedes
It." The authorities are commonly
agreed that the army worm, especially
the fall army worm. is of Southern
origin. and this fact helps to explain
why 1t does not appear yearly in con-
spicuously injurious numbers. It's in
stinct prompts it TO strive continually
TO obtain a foothold further north than
its natural range. and here is where
weather conditions play an important
part in its life history and its propa-
CATION in higher ATTITUDES. Ordinarily.
II the season be against them, they
, are killed in great numbers during
the fall and winter months. and.
therefore. but few Of the creatures
are left to multiply their kind the
following spring and summer.
How the Pest Breeds.
The early appearance of the army
worm in Texas may justify the fear
that States considerably to the north
have become restocked by the flight
of the parent moths from the South
ern breeding grounds In the warm
swamp lands. The moth which pro-
duces the fall army worm is a mem
Der Of the night flying variety. and
IL OF the same family which like
wise embraces the parents OF the
banefuI cut worm. an importation
from the Old World and OF long years
Of American acclimatization. 1t is
the habit of these nocturnal moths to
develop their eggs In clusters on
grasses, but when these insects &C.
cur in very large numbers they do
this on leaves and twigs OF trees
as well as on the outer walls OF build
inss. The eggs are laid in lots OF
from fifty to sixty in a group. The
Larvae at first are frequently so dark
as to escape observation, except when
moving in numbers, and their where
abouts are further concealed by the
normal habit OF hiding in the deep
grass during the day time and feed
ing mostly at night. This explains
why one may go to bed with his
field, garden. or lawn unmarried. only
TO arise at dawn to find the place dew
| astated. The mature army worm
ranges from an inch to an inch and
| a half in length and is about a quarter
| OF an inch through
The life history of the army worm
Is not a long one. The first OF the
larva or worms are from eggs de-
posted the fall before Their manner
of wintering is Of interest. When full
grown the larve work their way into
the ground to a depth ranging from a
quarter to an inch and a quarter deep.
| In the spring the worms appear from
under ground, work their havoc and,
after q brief while. reenter the earth.
They remain in the cocoon state for
! several weeks, at the conclusion OF
which they emerge as moths, which,
in their turn, lay eggs and start again
the evolutionsl life OF the army worm.
| In the three weeks OF it's active career
! the army worm can DO a deal of
damage. and TO eradicate the pest It
is essential 10 kill the parent moths as
we'll as to destroy the worms them
selves.
Luckily, the army worm has some
natura; enemies. and among these the
SPARROW is probably the most effective
because Of it's numbers. The blue jay
comes next, and then follow the
tachina ny and certain variety of
beetle. These foes will not suffice TO
keep the army worm within bounds
when their name is legion. and IL is
| needful then TO resort to man made
expedients. Trenching the fields. a
generous use Of kerosene and the
ample spreading OF arsenical powders
will aid in crisis, but clean cultural
| methods will do much moro toward
| Graduating the alternating or slum-
bering pests. That is to say. keep the
edges of fields and the hedges of gar
dens free from long grass and weeds.
where the larve Turk. and fall plough
ing will kill those that have already