Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
WORMS RAVAGE
DISTRICT LAWNS
Army of. Pests From South
Descend Upon Virginia
and Maryland.

BY THOMAS n. HENRY.
Sweeping up from the South. an
army Of voracicus insects ID rAvaging
land and Virginia and the lawns o. the
District Of Columbia.
Taxing advantage Of the hot, dry
Autumn, the ran army worm has 0e-
scended upon this section Of the cuurl-
try, devouring almost every green thing
In It's path. ft Is one Of the most vcra-
ciouH Of insects. eating literally all the
time,
Tfis insect Is q native Of tropical
America, but IA the sunmer H comes
northward and attacks the cotton fields
OF the Southern States. Then the cater
pillar changes into q moth and again
flies northward, blown hundreds Of
niles By favorable winds. EGGS ere laid
and q new brood Of caterpillaTS Matched
which Immediately start eating. The
progress northward continues until the
Insects are stopped by cold weather,
which they cannot endure. This year
there have been no frosts In the Mid
die Atlantic States 70 stop their rayages.
Brought Makes Situation wsrfs.
T1s drought makes the situation
much more serious. Ordinarily the
capteFpEilarB ind plenty o. food In fields
AGAu WC6tC RxesCSSs 09S ILLS yGeEs @GG0&AA~
ing 10 DE- w. II. LATTimer Of the Bn-
rean Of Entomology, the dry weather
has prevented the growth Of gucCulent
grass IN the pastures and the caterptl-
lars are forced to feed on city lawns
and on the spfouting fields Of Winter
wheat and rye, upon which the farmers
are depending for late pastarage and an
~ 81 n 1snesriSs. instinct the moths
sense taae sttuatanET and lay their eggs In
| the green pmtElaesN 90 tlfmt the young
Ca2HEpnlars win have plenty TO eaS when
| they hatch. The eggs Gre laid g night
| IN cluster cf from 30 20 several hun
dre6s, preferably On grass blades. Low
lying fields tiack1y covered with grass
or small grain often are chosen 60 tnae
caterpillar inyasiong scem 60 originate
| IN the bottom lands oG faxTas. Tbs
eggs hatch In from 8 30 10 6agg, de-
| pending ca the Temperature.
The new1v-hmkched catwpdIlars ara
very small with Jet black heads and
white bodies. They feed near the sur
| face Of TIE ground. Thus concealed
! they escape notice for seEerel Gays. FOR
q time they eat very Iit&ze, living chae1ly
1 they have Sl1st emerged. When these
are devoured they begin 30 uihhle mk
| the grass. II the az1festaki0n - disrUR.
ered ct this time il can be stopped a$
rgsrn ~ ug4ymw8v.r sv5FSa vsnFrva ~ ,r.sssr,
inc tie crnn ~ ana A. inrn tbro over ts.e
ground.
Est Nay and Nlghk
within three or four DAYS the yuMng
catezpiKlaTs have GROWN rapidly, termed
darker and Eiaaar damage becomes no.
4 taceable. At FIRST they do not entirely
consume the leaves or grass blades. but
EkeletUnize them, leaving whitdsh
4 patches. In two or three weeks tho
caterpillar becomes fully Rrown-akr1ued.
| haIf Ions. IN tlais sEaue d conssaTnss
vast quantities Of food In eornnards0n
w. W. hs So; oevonEsng compleaely every
toughest part Of the plant uneafEn.
i They eat n1glxt and day.
/ This Is the stage &c urenenk IN thn
District ana nearby states. Some re-
ports 10 the Buresr Of Entomozory
| tell Of the pests literally covering whole
lawns Vixen they have eaten every
thing in one neId the caterpiiiaxS WIN
march by the millions 20 the NEXT
| green area ana continue feedinr. This
has xiyen them their narsae. Dlsnatches
/ from Virginia te5i al spvernf sllch
] t.marcI1es' in the mast few DAYS. which
| have alarmed the farmers. In this
stage they can be stopped by DIGGING
| q 1llTTOW IN front OF the line OF march,
| into which they win fail. Thew then
| can he killed hv Arnrriar q Ioc fhrosseI,
Fac trench
9-he arrov vvcvyns ay,naax ~,,dSe,,Iv
Tfsev disannear tss~k "a suddenly All
| seeming Ia enter the nlIna stare fran,
which thev will All eTnerre 80 moths
after a rest negsnd e flne saYne Sire
Eaeh catarniIiay hsi;ids sfsalS : ceII 4,
the So;I where r. sna11ds tbs ,,,,y,s staca
i - &<@Aks-S 1eN9@se