8O ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '09 



The Distribution of the North American Species of 

 Phytonomus (Coleoptera). 



BY R. L. WEBSTER, Ames, Iowa. 



The home of the genus Phytonomus seems to be in eastern 

 Europe, or the western part of Asia, since in that portion of 

 the world are found the largest number of species. In this 

 genus, and in its close ally, the European genus Hypcra, a 

 large number of species have been described by European 

 systematists from eastern Europe and western Siberia, so there 

 is little doubt that the home of the genus may safely be placed 

 in that part of the world. 



There are eleven species of this genus listed as occurring in 

 North America, and the most common of these are Phytono- 

 mus punctatus Fab., P. nigrirostris Gyll., and P. compius Say. 

 The first two species are of European origin, having been im- 

 ported into this country, where they are seriously injurious to 

 clover. The last, P. comptus, seems to be a native North 

 American species. The remaining eight species are scattered ; 

 each with a comparatively narrow range of distribution. One 

 of these, Phytonomus rumicis Linn., another European species, 

 has also been found in Massachusetts, where it is attempting 

 to gain a foothold along the coast. In the Bolter collection of 

 Coleoptera at the University of Illinois are eight specimens of 

 this species taken at Nantucket Island, Mass., on vetch. Bar- 

 gagli reports P. rumicis as occurring in northern Europe feed- 

 ing on Rumex. 



Phytonomus punctatus is commonly known as the "clover 

 leaf weevil," because of its injury to clover, both in the larval 

 and adult forms. It was described by LeConte as P. opirnns, 

 but LeConte's specimens were clearly the European punctatus. 

 In 1881 the insect was noticed in New York, where it caused 

 considerable injury to clover. Since that time the beetle has 

 gradually worked westward, making its first appearance in the 

 clover fields. In June and July, 1891, it had reached Alle- 

 gheny County, Pennsylvania (Hamilton), and in June, 1893, 

 it was found at Wooster, Ohio (F. M. Webster). In 1904 



