The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-13
WATCH FOR ARMY WORM!

The army worm has caused great
damage this season in Texas and some
OF the Western States. The worms
spread rapidly and may reach the
Eastern States and devour vegetation
as they did few years ago.
There are usually three generations
of Caterpillars-th form in which the
pest greatly damages crops by feeding
upon them-in a year, but seldom or
never are there two successive out
breaks in any one lUcality. The in
sects usually appear in the fields very
suddenly, and 1t seems certain that
the NOTES.-The parents Of the cater
pillars-at times fly in great num-
bers for many miles in the direction
Of the prevailing winds, and alight in
n body to deposit their eggs at some
place favorable to the development OF
their offspring. This fact accounts for
the appearance of the army worm in
regions far removed from any known
source of infestatiOn.
The full grown army worm is a
nearly naked, smooth. striped cater
pillar, about one and n half inches
long Its general color is usually
greenish. and the stripes one along
each side and a broad one down the
centre Of the back, are dark and often
nearly black. The stripe along the
lack usually has II fine, light colored
broken stripe running down its CEN
tire The color OF the body between
the dark stripes varies from greenish
to reddish brown. The head is green
ish brown, speckled with black.
fro.
auently consumes all of the food sup
ply near the place where 1t has de-
veloped from the egg. When such
is the case the caterpillars mass to-
gethcr and crawl aNsy in body IN
search Of other food 1t is this habit
which has gained for the insect the
popular name of army worm
Normally the caterpillars march
forward during the day and rest ana
,cot At night. but sometimes they eat
voraciously during the day. and some
times they eat each other when forag-
ing proves vain. The army worm in
lures crops in but one way-by eating
away all the tender portions or the
leaves. the immature seed, and
sprouts. and when numerous It may
even devour the plants down to the
very ground. The greed and capacity
for food of the full grown caterpillars
are almost unbelievable. The pupa
takes no food. The moth subsists
principally upon the nectar gathered
from flowers.
Il is the massing together OF the
caterpillars which gives the chance
of destroying them in great numbers.
Burrows or bitches are ploughed or
dug completely around the infested
area, or directly across the path of the
advancing horde. In attempting to
cross such bitches the worms fall into
them, and can easily be destroyed by
crushing them with IA log dragged
back and forth through the ditch or
furrow. If shallow post holes are
sunk in the bottom of the ditch at in
tcrvals of about twenty feet, the
worms will crawl along the ditch bot
toms and fall into the holes, where
they may be destroyed by crushing
or other means If the subsoil is of
such nature that water penetrates
II but slowly. the post holes may be
partially filed with water, with layer
of coal oil or petroleum on the top
of it. The oil kills the worms i'm
mediately.
Watchfulness and quick action are
essential in all the control measures
which include, in addition to the ditch
Ing method, the following:
In case of a general invasion. give
the ground a light cultivation, If pos
sible after the caterpillars have gone
into the ground to change to the next
stage, the pupa. This will kill many
Of the pupR.
Spray infested grass or other vege-
tatiOn not intended for forage pur-
poses with a mixture of one pound of
Paris green to fifty gallons of water
DO not use the sprayed grass or vege-
tation for forage.
Spray growing grasses and other
forage crops Intended for use at a
considerably later date with a solu-
ton Of one pound of arsenate Of lead
(powder form in fifty gallons OF
water. or two pounds of arsenate OF
lead paste form in fifty gallons OF
water.
When corn is infested. spray with
one of the following mixtures: Arse
nate Of lead powder form) two
pounds, or four pounds of the paste
: form, in fifty gallons of water: or one
pound of Paris green and two pounds
. of freshly slaked lime In fifty gallons
Of water.
! Scatter poisoned bait broadcast ovef