The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-05-24
CUTWORMS AND HOW
TO COMBAT, THEM

applied to a number of kinds {
larvae (caterptllarb) OF moths O
millers that ny at night. Nearl
everyone is familiar with the dar
colored. dingy moths that often be
come a nuisance because. of thei
practice of flying around lights o.
summer evenings. Many of thes
are the adults of cutworms and be
cause of their night-f1ying habit an,
the fact that many species have eye
that shine in the dark they are pop
ularly known as the "owlet moths.
Most cutworms, like the moths tina
produce them, are active only a.
night. They remain hidden beneath
trash or just below the surface O.
the soil during the day and in the
early evening or during the might
come forth to feed They may read.
| lily be found in the daytime by stir
ring up the soil near plant which
has been recently cut or In alfalfa
they are found in the soil near the
crown os the plants or under trash
scattered over the field.
There are many different species
OF cutworms and generally more than
one species is present in every To-
cality. There are one or more
broods each year, the number vary
Ing with the species and with eli
matte conditions. The habits of the
various species vary somewhat but
are similar enough in a general way
that one method of control can be
relied upon. Eggs are usually laid
on weeds grasses or in loose soil in
the early fall, which, after q period
of few days hatch into small cat
erpfllars that feed to some extent
during the remainder of the fall.
Most cutwOrms pass the winter as
partly grown caterpillars and are
protected in the soil or under trash
in the field. They are rarely OBJ
served In the fall because they are
small and their injury is slight, ow-
ing to the fact that vegetation is
abundant and not easily damaged.
When the surface soil becomes warm
In the spring, cutworms resume &C.
t1v1ty, and otter do severe injury
for by that time they have attained
considerable size and feed greedily |
on new growing sprouts starting in
the field. 1t is common experience
to observe field crops such as alfalfa
eaten back until they may appear to /
be killed completely. Garden plants
or crops such as sugar beets may
be killed outright as a result of cut
worms cutting off the young plants
at, or just below the surface of the
ground. After caterpillars have be-
come full grown they cease feeding
and burrow into the soil where they
construct hard-shelled, brown CO.
coon in which they pass the pupal
stage. In the cocoons, transforma-
lion takes place. adult moths emerge
md soon lay eggs for the next gen.
grafton of cutworms.
A general cleanup of weeds, vol
inteer vegetation, ditch banks, waste
corners, etc., is desirable in the late
summer and early fall as a means,
II reducing favorable places for egg
aging. Cultivation of fields in the
all is also of some value in prevent
ng egg laying or in destroying eggs
hat have already been deposited.
A Practical, Reliable Method D,
of Control !
Poison bran mash scattered over {
infested fields can be relied upon
0 control cutworms effectively. c
he formula follows: i
Bran, % pounds; White Arsenic
r Paris Green, 1 pound; molasses
cheap Blackstrap or beet) 1 quart; D
'mons, 8; water, q gallon. t
Cd Mix together thoroughly the c
ran and poison in dry form. CD
AXE solution of the molasses in &
bout two gallons of water. CD Ii
rind the lemons as. fine as possible
Id add them to about a gallon of IL
alter. (4) Stir together thorough
No. l and No. 2, then add No. 3 F
Id mix the entire. mass. If more IL
alter is needed it may be added it
1T care should be taken that just m
Tough water is used to make a D,
arse crumbly mash that will sep 81
ate into flakes when scattered ju
For the purpose of practical con- ne
81 work cutworms may be roughly
vided into two general classes. Cd
lose that are injurious to gardens, ID
d spring planted row crops, such
sugar beets, and which generally
g non-migratory, occurring in the u
me fields year after year. CD W.
lose that attack alfalfa or fall co
aims and which, when food be- tn
mes scarce, assume the migratory tn
bit are are often called army mi
twOrms ph
Cutworms in Gardens A.,
or Sugar Beet Fields 49,
gardens or sugar beet tai
Ids which have been injured by tir
worms one year may be expected.
be damaged. during the succeed sh
, spring. In such cases it is best ele
prevent loss by combating cut la1
rms early in the spring when they to
} hungry and before there is green da
yetation for them to attack. At
the seed-bed has been prepared tiy
] before seed has terminated, or Bl
nts such as cabbage, have been re,
out, the poison mash should be to
ttered evenly over the land to be DR.,
'tected. Cutworms are active be- XII
e spring crops became green and Sal
greedily of the mash with the tri
ult that few of them will remain ph
We to injure the tender plants FIR,
en- they appear
)ntrolling CutwOrms in Alfalfa
ovn6 G~ofv. LNioI1e