182 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



THE POTATO STALK WEEVIL, (Daridus trinotatus, Say.) 



Late in the summer of 1867, 1 found that nearly, or quite one half of the stalks, in an 

 acre field of Peach blow potatoes, were shriveled and dead. I thought it was caused by 

 some disease, but looked to ascertain if any insect had been at work upon it, and did not 

 succeed in finding any. The stalk near the ground, in all cases, was entirely collapsed, 

 in most cases the whole stalk was quite dry. In June, of the present year, I found a 

 small patch of early potatoes in the garden similarly affected. This time I succeeded in 

 finding a small larva in the stalk, and early in July, Entomologist Riley being on a visit 

 to South Illinois, I reported the case to him, and begged his assistance in working it up. 

 The result was that he dug up the most of the potato patch, and carried away a large 

 number of stalks, each containing one or more of the larva in different stages of growth. 

 He advised me to dig carefully around the hills in search of pupa. This I did for several 

 days, till I was satisfied that if the insect underwent its transformation in the ground, it 

 was not done in the vicinity of the potatoes. I then sought, thoroughly, in the stalk 

 itself, and succeeded in finding pupa, which I suspected belonged to the Bavidius trinota- 

 tus, (Say,) and which I had seen described in Harris' Insects, as first taken by Miss Morris 

 near Philadelphia. In about two weeks my suspicions were confirmed. For full descrip- 

 tion, see Harris 1 Insects, p. 81, and American Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 22. 



THE COREOPSIS BUG, (Corimelana pulicaria, Germar.) 



This is a true bug of the Scutellera family, about one-sixteenth of an inch in length and 

 nearly as broad as long. The scutel is black and almost entirely covers the abdomen, 

 leaving only a yellowish white line in view at the margins. I mistook the insect for a 

 beetle — the scutel being as large as the elytra of many beetles. This insect I noticed 

 two years ago on coreopsis blossoms, which it entirely destroyed. This year it made its 

 appearance on strawberry blossoms, April 23d ; June 10th, on the Black Cap Raspberry, 

 and later in June it completely covered the Coreopsis in the garden, and in the fields the 

 wild Jersey Tea (CeanotJius Americanus.) 



This insect is reported to have destroyed a field of Black Cap Raspberries at Quincy, in 

 1866, and I fear it may prove an insect enemy of considerable notoriety in South Illinois. 



THE TWIG GIRDLER, (Oncideres cinguletus, Say.) 



This insect, fully described and figured in the American Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 76, has 

 been found at work in this district to considerable extent, girdling the twigs of pear, 

 hickory and persimmon trees. To prevent the spread of this insect the American Ento- 

 mologist says : " The best thing you can do is to pick up the severed twigs and burn 

 them." 



THE PENNSYLVANIA SOLDIER BEETLE, (Cliaidiognathies pennsylvanicus, De Geer.) 



Through the united efforts of Mr. E. Leming, of Cobden, and our State Entomologist, 

 proves to be, in the larval state, a feeder upon the larva of the Curculio. As the beetle 

 itself is found feeding upon flowers, it has heretofore been, naturally enough, regarded 

 as an enemy, and suffered accordingly, It is to be hoped that the several photographs 

 of this insect (see American Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 51,) may be so generally studied that 

 such a mistake may not occur often hereafter. 



