Manual of vegetable-garden insects . y may be avoided and this method should be adoptedwhenever practicable. In the case of cantaloupes, excellent results in protectingthe crop have been obtained by planting squashes as trapsthroughout the field. Squash vines with their large and odor-ous flowers are more attractive to the moths than other cucur-bits. If enough squash vines are present in a field, the mothswill deposit nearly all of their eggs on them and the canta-loupes will escape. For this purpose the squashes should beplanted at intervals of about two weeks so as to furnish anabundance of
Manual of vegetable-garden insects . y may be avoided and this method should be adoptedwhenever practicable. In the case of cantaloupes, excellent results in protectingthe crop have been obtained by planting squashes as trapsthroughout the field. Squash vines with their large and odor-ous flowers are more attractive to the moths than other cucur-bits. If enough squash vines are present in a field, the mothswill deposit nearly all of their eggs on them and the canta-loupes will escape. For this purpose the squashes should beplanted at intervals of about two weeks so as to furnish anabundance of buds and blossoms during July and August. INJURIOUS TO CUCUMBER, SQUASH AND MELON 131 The earlier squash vines should be removed and destroyedbefore many worms have reached maturity on them. Theuse of squashes as trap crops seems to be the most practicableway of preventing injury to cantaloupes in many parts of theSouth. References Ga. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 54. 1901. N. C. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 214, pp. 100-126. 1911. The IMelon Worm. DiUphania hyalinata Linnaeus The melon worm is occasionally found as far north as NewYork, southern Canada and Michigan but causes little or noinjury north of NorthCarolina. In the south-ern states, it is a seriouspest of cantaloupe,squash, cucumber andpumpkin and has beenknown to injure water-melon. The insect passes thewinter as pupae in loosesilken cocoons in thedead leaves or under theshelter of any con^Tnient rubbish. The moths do not emergevmtil rather late in the season, in June or July in NorthCarolina. The moth (Fig. 78) has an expanse of less thanan inch to 1^ inches. The wings are pearly white with abroad shining, iridescent brown band along the front andouter margins. The head and front part of the thoraxare brown. The body is silvery white and the tip of Fig. 78. — The melon worm moth ( X 2). 132 MANUAL OF VEGETABLE-GARDEN INSECTS the abdomen bears a conspicuous brush of elongate scales,yellowish at the base and white, brown or black
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