WiREWORMS. 



87 





20.— The wheat wireworm. a, b. c d, 

 details of mouth parts, enlarged ; 

 e, caudal segment, enlarged. 



before assurijing the beetle state ; it grew only about 2 mm. during 



six monfhs. 



The wireworms cease feeding in the fall before November 1st, 



and descend into the soil for several inches where they remain in a 



torpid condition all winter. With appetites sharpened by their 



long fast, they come toward the surface in the spring and do more 



damage than at any other time. 



When they become full grown, which occurs about July 1st, 



these wheat wireworms prepare for 

 lyii^i^;^ pupation by forming a little earthen 

 ,' 1^nr ^^^^ ^^ tlie soil, usually less than six 

 inches from the surface. The pupa is 

 of a pure white color, very soft, and 

 about one-fourth longer than the beetle 

 which it resembles in general appear- 

 ance. The pupal stage lasts about 

 three weeks, and by September 1st all 

 have transformed to beetles. 



The beetles (one is shown, enlarged 



seven times, in figure 21, and natural size on the upper part of the 



corn plant in figure 16) are of a dark brown color. They remain 



in the little earthen cells, made by 



the wireworms, all winter, and work 



their way to the surface during 



April. They fly well and can run 



quite rapidly ; when disturbed they 



"play possum" for a time. They 



will eat clover leaves and we saw 



one at work on a kernel of wheat. 



They lived but a few days after 



emerging in our cages. When and 



where they lay their eggs still re- 

 mains one of nature's secrets. 



2. Asaphes decoloratus, Say. 



This click-beetle is widely dis- 

 tributed over the northern states 

 east of the Mississippi river, and occurs in both cultivated and grass 



21.- 



Agriotes mancus, the adult, en'arged 

 7 diameters (after Forbes). 



