. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. THE ALFALFA CATERPILLAR. By V. L. WiLDERMUTH, Ento)iiological Assistant, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. INTRODUCTION. The alfalfa biitterflj^, Eurymvs cvrytheme Boiscl. (fig. 1), is one of the most beautiful and interesting of the group of butterflies known as " the yellows "; beautiful because of its golden and orange colors which contrast so conspicuously with the bright green of alfalfa fields, and in- teresting because of the wide individual variation, extending from the white or al- bino forms to those that
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. THE ALFALFA CATERPILLAR. By V. L. WiLDERMUTH, Ento)iiological Assistant, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. INTRODUCTION. The alfalfa biitterflj^, Eurymvs cvrytheme Boiscl. (fig. 1), is one of the most beautiful and interesting of the group of butterflies known as " the yellows "; beautiful because of its golden and orange colors which contrast so conspicuously with the bright green of alfalfa fields, and in- teresting because of the wide individual variation, extending from the white or al- bino forms to those that are deep or- ange. To the al- falfa grower in the Southwest, however, its chief interest lies in the great destruc- tiveness of the larvse (fig. 2.) One seeing the yellow butter- flies darting here and there over a green alfalfa field would hardly suspect that a few weeks hence they would cause the same field to appear as brown, dead stubble. Yet this is what happens nearly every year to a greater or less degree in the Imperial Valley of California and in the Salt River Valley of Arizona. It was not until 1910 that this butterfly was known to entomolo- gists as a serious pest. Previous to that time reports received from Note.—This bulletin is especially applicable to the Southwest, where the alfalfa catei"- pillar occurs in destructive numbers in irrigated alfalfa fields. 48305°—Bull. 124—14 1. Pig. 1.—The alfalfa caterpillar (Eurymus eunjtheme) ; Fe- male in the adult, or butterfly stage. One-half enlarged. (Author's illustration.). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original United States. Dept. of Agriculture. [Washington, D. C. ?] : The Department : Supt. of Docs. , Govt. Print. Off.
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