Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-05-12
CONCERNING CUT WORMS
Clover Leaf Weevil

Description. The larvae or this
insect are bright green in color with
a light colored stripe down the
middle of the back. They vary in
lenght according to age but when
full grown are slightly over one
half inch long. They are legless and
are usually found curled up in a
round ball in the crown of the plant.
In April and May the cocoons and
adult beetles are also found down
at the base of the plant. The cocoon
is oval in shape, brown to green in
color, and is at once distinguished
by it's fine network Of cross threads
enabling one to see the green larvae
or brown pupa inside. The beetle
is a typical weeyil varying in size
but never exceeding one third inch
in length. 1t is brownish in color
with gray lines above and broad
gray stripes on each side.
Injury, This insect is found in
red clover fields although it is
occasionally present in alfalfa. The
larvae are most abundant and de-
structive in April and May, there
being but one brood a year. The
leaves are eaten and occasionally
the stems.
Control. The outbreaks of this
insect are eventually suppressed by
the development Of a fungous dis
ease and. except in rare cases, before
serious damage is done Often what
promises 30 be a serious attack is
wiped out by the disease just as it
seems to appear most threatening;
or the weather conditions may en-
able the clover to make a rank
growth and overcome injury by this
larvae.
There are no direct remedial
measures devised and the use of
poison bran mash bait so effective
against grasshoppers and cut worms
is not effective.
The Bristly Cut Worm
Description. The bristly cut worm
when fun grown is about one inch
long and Of brown or yellowish-
gray color. 1t is marked by two
blackish stripes, one on each side
with series of diamond shaped
markings down the back. There
are two broods a year, the first one
being present in the fields now and
injuring the plants; the second
brood being found in early August.
Injury. This species has become
unusually abundant this spring and
has seriously injured the clover
fields, entirely consuming the early
tender growth and then eating down
into the crown of the plant killing it.
In many cases the clover fields are
IS per cent killed. Although now
more abundant in clover fields this
species has wide range Of host
plants and has been recorded as ser
iously injuring corn. The damage
by this species in southern Iowa is
mostly over now as specimens re-
ceived by the college are now spinn-
ing up and have stopped feeding.
Control. This species is cOntroll-
ed by scattering poison bran bait,
made according to the formula
given below, broadcast over the
fields. The following formula has
fbeen tried and proven successful.
Brau-2O lbs. a.
Paris green Id:
Salt 1 ID.
Molasses (cheap grade) ats.
Amyl acetate-% OF. or if this can
not be obtained, lemons or oranges
finely chopped equal to 6 fruits.
Enough water to make a crumbly
mash, usually 2to 4 gallons.
Mix the bran and Paris green
thoroughly together while dry. Then
put in the amyl acetate or fruit and
salt. Dilute the moIasses with
water and mix with the poisoned
bran until a mash is formed. The
salt is not essential and may be
omitted. II it is possible to obtain
this, however, it seems to, make the
bait more attractive and better
results are obtained.
VaIiegated Cat Worm
Description. When full grown
it is one and three-fourths inches
long and is gray or brown in color,
some specimens being light and
others dark. It is easily recognized
by a row of five or six small yellow
dots extending half way down the
back. Little is known about the
life history but field observations
indicate that, unlike the preceding
species, it passes the winter in the
pupaI stage end the moths are now
flying over the clover and alfalfa
fields laying eggs.
Injury The variegated cut worm
or alfalfa worm is a serious pest of
clover and alfalfa and when abund-
ant forms armies and leaves the
devastated fields and migrates to
neighboring crops such as corn or
potatoes, it cuts down the plants row
by row in an incredibly short time,
eating the entire plant down to the
surface of the ground. On account
of the destruction of so many fields
at the present time by bristly cut
worms and clover weevil it is possi-
BILE that the moths of the variegated