xt7fbg2h8g9v https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7fbg2h8g9v/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_525 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 525 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 525  2014 true xt7fbg2h8g9v section xt7fbg2h8g9v C f I I °
CIRCULAR S25» {bp   By H. H. JEWETT
. V Kentucky Agricultural _ ‘ _ "
  V~ Extension Service       V, V
“   ??t1§é Vt V V V
     
z     6%
EV V.,   V 4:,,,. _   *1
#;   ,-,   .v.       
  VV   , »_         _
.» · VV V   ap ·  U ,· ¤>·"T‘=.  
ell · . ’ **2 V      -
V_ VV   if - y  g, M
  sv ”    
. · , A VV — V -.  =.·;·} '. “fQ;f °-  
~ _ ·       *¤¤am_ ii ¤ · I 1   *•V (
" V Vi .. `     ‘ 'XK- ·    *”’°‘_ V` a,
_ A   .5 V_,» r Agxt.   ..
;·x;__V ,_ . _ ,,{* F . ‘ . "V V]
W3°3;:·Z. '.r· V it-m]. V {I? `“`#». ~   V
 5     gg;} s . · 1 ’°
—   ,;_. .. V K- “ ·— ¤.__ · .,*
  E · V     V ,· .
3,5,, h, V V   Q.   `V   '. V ,_ 4 V"
W V V ‘ V V;VV;V'   V ‘ »4;" ’*¤..=>·.% V ~»,’..~>$-··°.'y
.¢. H, . ._ 4 _ .3¤.v¤;4rJ-=>_   "***·¥?" nr, -   ,
w , . ~ V ¥¢gw.V;=°"’ ,4 . r . [ Jgf
Y. V ` VV » V_V i-} psjgifl V 7'§‘· _`· .;» V" VV Vw
  { A · V V   V we Q Yxmxc
` ~1"ifQ·.1.i.: Y V   ‘L . " V  `  
’ "     Q} , .7*; ’·¤··
_·     -.·-·t.:. ‘  
    wa $1 v=`‘· `¢‘tr .  
‘·>V·.> V   ~·. ,   IWVQVT    
Vt *»·V;·‘e _V;_ _ .   _  * .
Z.! ¤ . ; ··   V  
. . `¤ !s'¤" ' , VV 4   ,V\ · ~- A
vV_VV.¤z;p   VV V y . [V    {VV   V— ~V;§¢> VVVVV . .
  i ·   Z »   .   ig .. V A  »
H-5 VV ‘ · ·?.‘·l“¤`Y .l°·’= — t V  .V ·.Z°f*‘·  Y.   ` '
V » V   V *·`_   J _VV__VVVVV• VJ,   VV ,   gn ..—
V ~ V · -~·».- - :<¤V  · -.   . ; ..~ ..    · =   
" ` ml i ‘ _ ~:‘I‘;;i‘Z`·   ·»     ‘V’V ~ . VYVa‘»· I- ` V` l
VV " V ‘= ~     .. =. .. ‘ ° ·` — .e. ' •**" ·
. ni       ··°$ :·’ J c 
  4 ..4;...   X  
”   ‘¤.    P ,    
-V V ` V »» - ¤$! ¥; Y ;g,‘V`V  _·· -V - ..¥#*VVf·,?i”i.7r?¢¤·  i ,5 L 
· V * ~ .-   V· V, ~; yu ..:4 ·>¢   V   ,4 #£
    ,,4   -     —V`» ,5. A     .
_ _ }.__·j> _ ,   _ V     » 2;;,;% . V  ·.~  .
. V··;;2».   - .l"""* »,    we wi-'    '»’— ots or lines on their bodies. Tliei eat large
1 O
holes in the leaves and cnt oil stems close to the soil.
Curwonxi (1>A<;i5s 20, 21)
5. Pests other tlzan insects.
(a) A slug about 1)/, to UQ inches long, yellowish to
brown or black. lt leaves a trail ot slime when it crawls.
llides under elods, leaves. etc., in beds. Eats irregular
lnzlvs in the leaves.
SLUG (i>AGia 16)
(li) A round worm alzoizt 1 inch long with two pairs of
legs on each apparent body segment. Feeds on leaves
veit to the soil and prefers damp er moist soil.
Xin,i.ii>i·;n (i>AGi·: 17)
Insects injuring Plums in the Fielsl
(i. latvae tinxneliitgi. girtlliiig. or cutting oil plants.
(:1) llard. yellowish to brown. shiny. slender. nearly
round xvorins, lg to 1 inch long. in the stalks of newly
set plcuits or in the soil near the plants. Plant stalks are

 7
tunneled 0ut sometimes, causing the plants t0 wilt severely.
usually within a day 0r tw0 after having been transplanted.
'Wianwonm (inxcms 22, 23)
(b) Very active w0rms,   t0 1 inch l0ng, accompanied
by a silken web 0r tuimel. \V0rms make partial tunnels
in y0ung t0bacc0 plant stalks 0r partially girdle the stems.
S0n VVEB\\’()lth[ (imzcic 32)
Q   \V0rms (as 4, ab0ve) which cut 0tl y0ung plants and
eat parts 0f leaves. S01neti1nes the w0r1ns climb larger
plants and cut   leaves.
· CUT\v0nM (inxcris 2T), 2l)
(tl) A br0v:n \'»`Ol`1ll, iyg t0 2 inches l0ng, f0und taint? ling
in rather large t0bacc0 plant stalks. All but the  
vrerins have a white stripe d0wn the back with b:·0ken
wleafte stripes 0n the sides.
C0xrM0t·: S’rA1,i< B0zn·:n (i>,x<;izs BO. Bl)
7. Sucking insects 0n leaves 0i? plants.
(a) A small greenish plant l0use (as 3, ab0ve) foiznd 0n
under—surtaee 0li leaves and 0n the buds 0t plants.
Gn;;i·;;~c P1;,»x<:i1 Ari; n (i>.»v;;·: ll)
(b) A large, llat, shield-shaped bug, ab0:at {/Q inch l0ng.
grayish 0r greenish-yell0w t0 br0wnish c0l0red. lt pierces
. the mid-rib 0i` leaves, and causes them t0 wilt.
Sritsit Bus; (1>A<::—; 29)
8. lnsccts that eat h0les in leaves.
(a) A small jumping beetle (as 2b, ab0ve) that eats small
r0und h0les in newly transplanted plants. s0m1·times c0m—
pletely riddling the leaves. Older plants n0t s0 seri0uslv
injured. _
T0ia,x<;<;0 l:l,li,·\ B{·]I·l'I`liIC (i·.»x<:i·t 12)
b) Lar e 'umvin Y 0r h0>>ini>1;n (1>A<;1as 33. 34)

 8
(c) \Vorms about 1% inch long, varying in color from
light green t0 brown with light and dark stripes running
the length of the body. They bore into the buds of plants
that have made considerable growth, and when the buds A
expand the leaves have a ragged appearance. The worms
also eat seed heads.
Coax EAnwonxi (false bud worm) (inxciris 26, 27)
(d) \Vorms similar in shape and size to 8c (above), but
the color of nearly mature worms is green with lighter
stripes running the length of the body. Only an occasional
wor1n found in central Kentucky. Plants injured as Sc
above.
Toi>.»x<:,x<:i2s 35, 36, S7)
INSECTS IN THE BEDS AND FIELDS
The insects most commonly found in plant beds in Kentucky
include tobacco [lea beetles, cutworms, green peach aphids, green
june beetle grubs, springtails, crane Hy maggots, and maggots
of midges. Slugs are present nearly every year, and millipcds
sometimes do considerable damage. Slugs and millipeds, how- ·
ever. are not insects.
Some ol the insects that infest beds also attack plants in the
field. .—\mong these are the tobacco Hea beetle, several kinds of
cutxvorms. and the green peach aphid. ln addition, several other
insects attack tobacco and some, when munerous, may be very
destructive. The more important ones are wireworms, budworms.
hornworms. grasshoppers. and sod webworms.
Measures for Protecting PI¤nts in Beds
.·\ great deal ol damage to plants in the bed may be prevented
when measures are taken to kill insects in the soil and prevent
other insects from entering the hed. These measures include;

 9
(1) burning the bed, (2) steaming, ($3) fumigation with methyl
bromide, and (4) enclosing the bed with a frame covered with
tobacco cotton. The first three measures kill grass and weed
seed and many of the insects in the soil. Methyl bromide fumi-
gation is more effective than either burning or steaming. A well-
covered board frame around a bed will keep most insects from
entering the bed.
The degree of control of white grubs and other soil insects
accomplished by burning, steaming, or fumigation is affected by
the mechanical condition of the soil and its moisture content
and temperature. Also important, are the kind of wood used
in burning beds, the pressure of steam in the boiler, and the
length of time of exposure.
Burning
To kill insects and weed seeds near the surface requires the
burning of fairly large wood for at least 30 minutes, even when
the soil has been thoroughly prepared and is dry enough for
good tillage. The heat should penetrate the soil to at least 3 to
4 inches. Burning may kill all white grubs and other insects to a
depth of 6 inches, but generally to a depth of only about 4 inches.
Steoming
Applying steam at a boiler pressure of 101)-125 pounds to
well-prepared and fairly dry soil for 25 minutes has been known
to kill insects to a depth of 1() inches.
A Methyl bromide fumigation
To be effective, methyl bromide fumigation must be applied
to thoroughly pulverized soil that is fairly moist. The soil tem-
perature should be 5f)° F or warmer. Cover the bed with a gas-
proof covering and seal the edges with soil; then release 1 pound
of methyl bromide gas to l()() square feet into shallow pans or
troughs. using a specially designed applicator. The cover should
be removed after 24 to 48 hours. Nlethyl bromide gas is poisonous
and will kill a good percentage of all insects to the depth of the
plow line.
Cover for bed
A frame of boards, 6 inches wide. covered with a good grade
of tobacco cotton is an effective means of preventing re-infesta-

 10
tion of a bed by insects and other pests. The boards are set on
edge around the bed and held in place by pegs. All joints at
the ends of the boards must be tight and the soil packed firmly
to a height of about 2 inches on the outside of the boards. The
cloth cover should be of 25 strands to the linear inch and wide
enough to be drawn down 1 or 2 inches outside of the top edge
of the boards where it can be fastened. The boards if cared for
will be useful for 3 to 5 years.
DESCRIPTION ANB CONTERGL
Green June Beetle
The larvae of the green lune beetle. Coliuis uitida (L.), often
cause a great deal of damage to very young tobacco plants. They
live in the soil and, by tunneling and burrowing in the soil of
tobacco plant beds, uproot seedlings and prevent them from
becoming established in the soil. `When many grubs are present
in the beds. the surface soil becomes loose and more or less
pulverixed. The grubs feed mainly on the humus in the soil
and do little if any feeding on plant roots. Since the grubs live
in soil rich in humus. the tobacco beds should be established in
a field some distance from farm buildings because the soil near
such buildings is nearly alvsays infested by the grubs. Green
june beetle larvae can be easily recognized because of their
habit ol crawling on their baclts.
.·· .
J _   Maya? ( ·.4,g·»¢:§;¥`·i? ·‘ V  `7·  
» ‘- ( _. .  _   i  r·` -=
  Fig. l. (left) Green June beetle, X ll;.
N Fig. 2. (above) Green June beetle grub, X lll;.

 11
Life history and appearance
The green ]nne beetle is a common and conspicuous insect
in Kentucky. The velvety—green beetle (Fig. 1) attacks ripening
fruits, such as grapes, peaches, and berries, and the large white
grubs (Fig. 2) are often pests in soils of lawns, golf greens,
gardens, and plant beds. The larvae complete their growth in
late spring; the beetles begin emerging from the soil late in june
and are most numerous the last half of ]uly. Most of them will
have died by August 15. They lay their eggs in soils rich in
organic matter, generally near manure piles, old straw stacks,
or piles of decaying vegetation. In open fields, the beetles fre-
quently place their eggs near cattle droppings. The eggs hatch
within 2 to S weeks, and the grubs grow rapidly and are two-
thirds to nearly full-grown when cold weather arrives, at which
time they move into the soil to a depth as great as 18 inches.
Most of the grubs pupate in May.
Control in the bed
Parathion; (1) Dust with 2 pounds of l—percent parathion
dust to 100 square yards of plant bed. Apply the dust through
the covering of the bed when dry or lift the covering on one
side and apply the dust, or (2) spray or sprinkle the soil with
1 pound of 25—percent parathion wettable powder in 100 gillons
of water at the rate of 10 to 12 gallons of water to 100 square
yards of bed.
~ Tobacco Flea Beetle
The tobacco flea beetle, Epitrix hiriipcnnis (Melsh.), is a
small beetle approximately 1/16 inch in length. It is dark brown
with darker colored marks of irregular shape on the wing covers.
The beetle hops like a true flea, a trait which helps one in identi-
fying the insect (Fig.  
Life history
The beetles hibernate in the adult stage under loose litter
or other materials near plant beds or tobacco fields. They be-
come active in early spring and feed upon wild solanaeeozis
plants if available, but usually young tobacco plants appear in
the beds as early or earlier than the wild host plants.
The beetles that live over winter begin laying their eggs

 12
a'     ~
_ · /   \ Fig. 3.—The tobacco flea beetle, Epitrix hirti-
¢;y~l‘i.;; pews, x 20.
‘ll—¢v[l`la:`i
: 'g_"l
V!
early in May, but eggs are laid at least until September l by the
beetles that emerge from hibernation in the spring and by the
broods of adults that develop during the summer. The adults
appear in 23 to 45 days after the eggs are laid, and three broods
may develop during the SCZISOH.
Injury
The beetles attack the plants in the beds and eat small circular
areas from the leaves, leax ing small round holes. \Vhen numer-
_ _ ..·*`   I `, ' V .. I ·" I
s ZE? i . '°Z . 1  
. V, •_ ,2 · .• _ • |
I   ° . · . Q
\ A     • • °
/ 4 A J.; \~`\" • `
” · ° "¤]• .
• , j   `_ .
v   0 `p.· i` i' '.•_:
[ w' • * O
I l . ` • ` •
O ’ I _ • ¢ V
¥ gp `_ ° . *
O is 5 . . `
.    
· / ·   ’ * •
, i-  
..-',   -.._ \ 0 •
· Q _   s T-T3" g ·
. T t `i"-\
• ~’ ‘ .   · Q _ `  
•" " V _
Fig. 4.-A leaf showing injury by the tobacco flea beetle.

 1:3
ous, the beetles may destroy practically all plants in a bed. In
central Kentucky, they are generally less destructive than in the
western part of the state (Fig.  
Control in the beds
There should be little need for insecticides to control the
tobacco flea beetle in beds that have been protected by a cloth-
covered board frame, but when little or no protection has been
provided some insecticide may be needed. Several of the newer
organic insecticides will control this beetle, but none is better
than DDT.
DDT: (1) Dust the plants with 1 pound of 10-percent DDT
dust to 10() square yards of bed; or   spray with 2 pounds
of 50—perccnt wettable DDT powder in 1()0 gallons of water at
the rate of 3 to 5 gallons per 100 square yards.
Repeat the dusting or spraying in a few days if beetles are
still present. Make the last treatment a short time before pulling
the plants as this will protect them for several days in the Held.
Destroy the plants remaining in the bed soon after setting is
completed.
Control in the field
The tobacco flea beetle sometimes injures newly transplanted
plants so severely that the plants die or make little growth.
Generally the entire Held of tobacco is not injured severely, but
areas up to one—half acre or larger may be completely ruined.
The tobacco grower should not neglect to check newly trans-
A planted plants for possible flea beetle injury. lt is seldom neces-
sary to apply control measures for flea beetles when the plants
have made considerable growth.
DDT: (1) Dust with 10-percent DDT dust at the rate of 5
to 10 pounds per acre on young plants and 10 to 2() pounds on
large plants, or (2) spray with 2 pounds of 50-percent wettable
powder in 100 gallons of water for good coverage of the plants.
If the plants are large, 50 or more gallons will be needed per
acre, or   spray with 1% pounds of DDT per acre in a diluted
emulsion concentrate at the rate of 5 to 15 gallons per acre by a
low-pressure sprayer.

 14
~- - . , . ( A A~ (  
    .~·Zé»   .r’r‘‘r     
` '“`““/` "     " . ‘,`  
" M__e,;,.»¢i; T  H;   J   ,. '· E,)
V     ;p _,'·   ,=~v =    j.; ~·.~  .
Fig. 5.- Green peoch aphid on o tobocco Ieuf.
Green Peach Aphid
The green peach aphid, M yzus persicae (Snlzer), has been
known in the United States for many years and has been found
on a wide range of plants, including some deciduous fruits,
vegetables, flowering plants, and ornamental shrubs (Fig. 5).
In 1946, moderate infestations 0n tobacco by this aphid de-
veloped in several states, but the reason for the sudden attack
on tobacco is not clear. This aphid now does considerable dam-
age to tobacco in several counties in Kentucky.
Tobacco plants in beds infested by this aphid are not injured i
greatly, but infested plants when transplanted in the field cause
many colonies of the aphid to become established and a general
infestation to occur.
The aphid injures plants   by sucking the juices of plants
and (2) by depositing honeydew excretions upon the leaves.
The extraction of juices from the leaves causes thin light-weight
leaves, and the honeydexv and the resulting mold that develops
upon it cause the leaf to cure a dark off-color, of poor quality.
Control in the beds
Parathion: (1) Dust the plants in the beds with 2 pounds
of 1-percent parathion dust to 100 square yards; or   spray

 15
with 1 pound of a 15-percent wettable powder in 100 gallons of
water at the rate of 3 to 5 gallons to 100 square yards.
Malathion: (1) Dust the plants with 4—percent malathion
dust at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square yards; or (2) spray
with 3 pounds of 25—percent wettable powder in 100 gallons of
water at the rate of 3 to 5 gallons per 100 square yards of plant
bed.
Control in the field
Parathion: (1) Dust patches of plants that are infested or
the entire field with 1—percent dust at the rate of 10 to 30 pounds
per acre according to the size of the plants; or   spray with
1 pound of a 15—percent wettable powder in 100 gallons of water
at the rate of 50 to 80 gallons per acre according to the size of
the Pl9‘ntS‘ malathion
Malathion: (1) Dust with 4—percent ;  dust at the
rate of 20 to 30 pounds per acre or with 5-percent malathion
dust at 15 to 25 pounds per acre; or (2) spray with 1 to 1%
pints of the emulsifiable concentrate in 50 to 80 gallons of water
per acre. Malathion is not so effective as parathion but may be
preferred by some growers because it is less toxic to warm-
blooded animals.
The Garden Springtail
The garden springtail, Bourletiella h0rtcn.s·i.s Fitch, is about
( 1/25 inch long and is slate colored, spotted with yellow. The
body is globular with a rather large head and narrow back. Be-
cause of its jumping habit and its shape and color, farmers call
this insect a flea (Fig. 6). It prefers rather damp places in which
to live.
This insect does most of its damage when tobacco plants are
in the two- or four—leaf stage; and when numerous, they some-
Fig. 6.- Garden spring tail, X 15.  
x
/

 16
times defoliate the young plants in considerable areas in the bed.
Fortunately, they do not appear every year in destructive num-
bers.
Control
Parathion; (1) Dust with 1-percent parathion dust at the
rate of 2 pounds of dust to 100 square yards of plant bed; or  
dust with 1.5-percent lindane dust at the rate of 3 pounds to
100 square yards of plant bed.
Slugs in Plant Beds
Slugs are of considerable importance because of their attacks
on tobacco in plant beds. They chew out irregular holes in the
leaves of plants. They can be detected because they leave a
trail of slime where they crawl. Their colors vary from whitish
yellow, with shades of yellow, to black, with inottlings and
spotting of shades of brown. Because slugs mainly feed at night,
they come out of hiding from under boards, rocks, or various
damp refuse in the evenings (Fig. 7).
Control
llydrated lime; (1) Apply hydrated lime in a band 3 or 4
inches wide around a bed to vrevent the sluts from enterin
1 B S
the hed; or   dust the plants and surface of the soil in the
Fig. 7.-—A slug found in plant beds.
jr
evening with hydrated lime at the rate of 3 or 4 pounds to 100
square yards of plant bed. The soil and the plants must be dry
for the lime to be very effective.
Parathion: Dust the plants and soil with 1-percent parathion
dust at the rate of 2 pounds to 100 square yards of plant bed.
Millipeds
Xlillipeds are sometimes mistaken for wireworms. but they
do feed on the roots of plants and. like wirexvorms. tunnel into

 17
' V Y" A  /  ...f]°  .   A T ·‘`‘   ` f f ~ A
Vw;->i,iiVV     `  QYQ} . V . * _ .
' ,»# i fix  ·  $#5. °. `V ’V_  V  
FQ, M_ ,f VW ~;   xw       ,  V ·  »._=2_; _5" 
  f T?} .=$é¥-   f . , · ` 2  
i   ”   fs:  ei? ·',’   \.·V   J ’?
·* V , V V  _-af,  _ __ -· .&
A __', ~  `   V .  V-   ,_V` J _ J  
   ‘ , V V‘·‘   TL i     ~ ` .   A
if f}  l.  i f     · li} . ~ if · · _..»<.r   
 Q3 ‘ V ` » Y kg ,_»..,= ”  Y ` — V
Pi`?   . ‘ ‘ ~ ’ ‘ _.VV .     V ¥`*   `
    f ‘ ‘` ‘   `‘A''““  
  :”   M   ~»i   , {`  . A $>  .  ‘ ‘ f ~
    ° f fV°‘._.€f   f J   ffl ? j ¥‘· r¤ ,»»~   / V   .-fz f fi l 
fg;   Er-/V. "A,   ih; T   VV   * .4 ¤~r f   ’f—:h`Lr_LVY`t`~r \  E gjixgi -K   Y`ti )i > V` i ’ ;\ ir{#;r —·.- _—
Fig. 8.-A milliped found injuring seedling plants.
roots of vegetables and tubers, eat planted seeds, and leaves of
plants. One particular milliped, Bmchyiulus Iittoralis Veroeif, is
sometimes found in tobacco plant beds. Millipeds feed on small
seedlin s in lant beds, and sometimes destrov most of the vlants
. 1
in parts of the beds (Fig. 8).
Millipeds have a simple development. The eggs are laid in
the soil and hatch into small worms which differ from full- "l'O\»Vl]
2,
adults bv havin fewer se ments and le fs. Full- frown worms of
. 8
different species are 1 to Z2 inches long and have two pairs of
i legs to each apparent body ring. As a rule, millipeds live in damp
‘ soil and feed on decaying vegetation.
Control
DDT. Apply a 10—percent DDT dust at thc rate of 1 pound
to 100 square yards of bed.
Chlordane: Apply a 5-percent chlordane dust at the rate of
% pound to 100 square yards of plant bed.
Parathion: Apply a 1-percent parathion dust at the rate of
2 pounds per 100 square yards of bed.

 is
Midges
Midge maggots sometimes infest tobacco plant beds. The
small whitish worm-like maggots are sometimes numerous enough
to cause damage by burrowing and disturbing the soil to such
an extent that the plants dry out. The adults are sometimes
mistaken for mosquitoes.
Control
DDT: A l0—percent DDT dust, applied at the rate of 1 pound
to 100 square yards of bed, is an effective control measure.
Parathion: A 1-percent parathion dust, applied at the rate
of :2 pounds per 100 square yards of plant bed, is also effective.
The cover of the bed must be dry as well as the plants when
dusts are applied through the cover in order to get the insecti-
cide on the surface of the soil.
Smoky Crane Fly
The crane lily larva, Tipula cunctans Say, has been found
occasionally in tobacco plant beds in Kentucky, and other species
have been reported in plant beds in other states. The general
color of the larva is grayish brown, and the body is cigar-shaped,
about 118 inch in diameter and 4/5 inch long. Some appendages
are arranged radially on the ventral surface of the last segment.
The larvae are often called leather jackets and live over winter
partly grown. The flies have very long, slender legs, with the
bodies being approximately 315 inch long. They resemble very
large mosquitoes (Fig. 9).
Fig. 9.-Crane fly maggot found in plant beds.

 19
Injury
The larvae live mostly on humus in the soil but have been
reported injuring lespedeza in Kentucky. In tobacco plant beds,
the larvae loosen the soil at the surface, and in dry weather
especially the very young plants do not become well—established
in the soil and, consequently, many die. Also it is likely that
the larvae cut out portions of the leaves and stems.
Control
A quick kill of the larvae is needed in plant beds, and para-
thion is effective.
Parathion: (1) Dust with 1-percent parathion dust at the
rate of 2 pounds to 100 square yards, or   spray with 1 pound
of 15—percent parathion wettable powder in 100 gallons of water
at the rate of 5 gallons per 100 square yards of bed.
Cutworms
Tobacco in beds and fields is often injured by cutworms, of
which approximately 2 dozen species have been reported as
injuring tobacco. Cutworms are much more likely to be de-
structive to tobacco that follows crops that have occupied the
land for several seasons, such as forage crops. Some adults,
however, will lay their eggs on cultivated land.
Cutworms do their feeding late in the evening and at night,
and hide during the day. A worm or two in a plant bed may
destroy a considerable number of plants. They feed on the por-
tion of the plants near the surface of the soil, consume portions
I of the leaves, and cut off stems; sometimes they climb the plants
and feed on the leaves and buds, and cut off leaves.
Life history
Cutworms are the larval stage of moths often called "candle
flies.” The full-grown worms are from 1% to 2 inches long, have
rounded bodies, and are moderately stout. They are soft, and
the different species vary from gray to brown, marked with dark
lines or spots on the back.
The moths lay many eggs from which the young worms liatclr
and, after completing their growth, enter the ground to pupate;
later the adults appear.
Some species of cutworms live over winter as larvae, others

 2l)
·i     '   '_`__‘  i\;~.  >' 4
  ~ ’ `; N  ;. —,v·
Fig. l0,—- Moth of the voricgoted cutworm.
. .·__ .:___, -~»’ ~‘¤*l° `#"*·__ »lf‘**¤+_   ._-.`   ___    _:  ·~.;_‘   ·- .,  
  <`ei;§é*??F rw.,   .f    .i¢·T`     ·="`?’;;· .
·     .          
 L`    i        . . °   ---   
’ 4 Q; 4;;.  A gp,
Fig. ll.- Vuriegated cutworm.
LIS Pllpllk`. S()lll(‘ l)l`O(lllCC tlll`C(‘ Ol` F()lll` l)l`()()(lS of \V()l'lllS ll }'(iU.I`; 4
Otll(‘\`S l`(‘(l\lil`(‘ ll }`(`lll` tu (.`()ll]plCtC (l(‘YCl()Plll€llt. Tll€ \'LI1`l<;‘gL1tC(l
(‘\\t\\'()l'l\l. I)l'|’l([l`OHl(l IIHH`Q(l}`l[()S(l , Ll COUIIHOI] &.1Il(l (lC-
S[l'llCti\‘l‘ SP(‘(‘ll‘S. \'(‘l`}'   ll\'(‘S ()\'(‘l` \\'ll]tCl` ll] tll€ Pllpill St21g€
(lrig,S. l0 und ll l. lt uppcurs curly in the spring as un uclult,
Llll(l {UHF l)l`()()(lH Oli \\'()l`lllS llltly (l(‘\'(‘l()p Cllllilllg U. y(’2Il`. ;xll()tl`lCl`
Spt‘ClL‘S, tl\t‘ gl`t‘1lS}' L‘llt\\'Ol`lll, ;\Q}`lO(lY ([])Sll(}H Hott., ll\'CS ()\'Cl‘
wiutcr iu tho pupul stugv from which moths cnicrgc curly in the
spring; during tho your prohuhly four hroocls of worins clovclop.
This is unc of thc most (lCSi[l`llCtl\`(‘ cutworins (Figs. 12 und l3l.
Control in the beds
DDT: ( l \ Dust thc plants und soil with 10-percent DDT dust

 21
at the rate of 1 pound t0 100 square yards of plant bed; or  
spray with 2 pounds of 50—percent wettable DDT powder in
100 gallons of water at the rate of 3 to 5 gallons per 1()0 square
yards of plant bed; or (3) apply a bluestone—hydrated lime mix-
ture composed of 3 pounds of bluestone and 4 pounds of fresh
hydrated lime and 50 gallons of water to which has been added
{Q pound of 50—percent DDT wettable powder. This is an ef-
fective control of cutworms when applied at the rate of 1 quart
- to 1 square yard of bed.
Control in the field
DDT; Dust the plants and the ground around the plants
with a 10—percent DDT dust,
Endrin: Endrin at the rate of 0.2 pound per acre has been
_1
\ ;/
  r.   “       .  
(I T. .;'f if".    { · ‘:  ‘ ‘- il A  
    e J
qi *  
Fig. l2.—- Moth of the greusy cutwcrm.
I I (JAN ,1;;. l, , _ ,, .v%_' y rf ",  ;v
Fig. l3.— Greasy cutworm.

 22
used to control armyworms. The manufacturers of endrin report
excellent control of cutworms 011 some crops.
Wireworms
Several different wireworins attack tobacco plants in Ken-
tucky, but the one responsible for about 90 percent of the injury
to newly transplanted plants is Aeolus mcllillus (Say) (Fig. 14).
This wireworm attacks crops other tha