450 



In f'V( TV case where the soil in the Ineedinp cages was disturbed after the 

 itiHetts had traiisfurnied, the l»eetles perished. Tlie only way in which we have 

 been able to rear active adnlts h.is been to leave the soil in the breeding cages 

 nndisturbed from midsnmnier till the followinji spring. 



This experience clearly indicates that by fall ]dowing we can destroy the beeth-s 

 in the soil, and thns prevent their maturing and de]iositing eggs the following sea- 

 son. The plowing may be done at any time after July 20, for our experiments show 

 that l)y that time all the mature wireworms have changed to pupte. After plowing 

 the soil should be well pulverized and kejit stirred up so that the little earthen cells 

 of the pupa; and adults may be destroyed. 



A summary is jjiveii of the fxperimoiits in trapping with iKtisoiiiMl 

 baits, reported in Bulh'tin No. .i of tlie station referred t<) al>ove. "Tlie 

 best results were ol)t;iin<(l l».v dipping a small handful of fresh-eut 

 clover into Paris-jriccii water and jdaeiiiu" tlie bmielies under boards in 

 various parts of the field," 



From May 1 to October 1, 1.SS9, six common tubular lanterns were 

 kept lijjhted in tlu' field every nijjht. Oidy SO specimens of click 

 beetles were captured, representing (5 jjfenera an<i 13 spe<-ies as follows: 

 Aaaphen clecolornfus, A. hilohatus, A. hirricollis, J>r(interitni ilorsdli-s, 

 Athom cvruUatm, A. nifi/mns, Melanotux cruheraits, M. ncrobicoUin, M. 

 communis, M. safjittariuK, M. nmericanus, Conjmhites snlcicoUis, an<l 

 Jhtlopiiis hitcralix. 



The irlicdt irircirorm (]>p. L'.">l-L'."iS). — Notes on •»bsei\ations regarding 

 the life history and habits of Agriotett manant, with a detailed technical 

 descriittion of the larva. Of nearly 1.(MM) larva* received it was found 

 that 111 ]ier cent wer<' of this species. From his obstMvations the anthor 

 thinks it probable that the larval state lasts at least ."{ years. 



We found that as the sumnuT a<l\ancfd the worms became le.ss active and ilesfriu't- 

 ive, and tinally, about November 1. they ceased feeding and descended further into 

 the soil. ■ ■ " To what depth they descend in tlie fall, wo cannot say further 

 than that they were found n«ar the bottom of the cageswliich containabout t»inches 

 of soil. If disturbed during this jieriod of hibernation, which lasts until spring, the 

 larva* were found to be very sluggish. The soil in the cages fre(|Uently became 

 frozen solid, but this did not seem to attect the larvje. * * " I'upie were invaria- 

 bly found less than fi inches below the surface, sometimes within an in<h of the 

 surface, even when then- was l.'i inches of soil below them into which they might have 

 descended. ' " ' July 10 is the earliest date at which we have found pupa* in 

 our cages. They were most nunuMous about the middle of the month, and siune 

 were still iu the i>upal state August 20. .\dults were tirst found .luly 31, thns 

 making the duratiiui of the pn]»al stage about '.^ weeks. 



Astiplns ilrcoloratiis (pp. J.-iS-iMJi*). — Noti's on observations regarding 

 the life history and habits of this s])ecies. with a detailed technical 

 description of the larva. About '» p«T cent of the wireworms examined 

 belonged to this sjiecies. 



Most of our larva' were taken from old sod land; a feiw were obtained in a culti- 

 vated field. They range in length from 7"'"' to 25""". * * * On one occasion a 

 large larva was seen with a smaller one held between its jaws. Thissuggeste<l that 

 the larva* might be partially carnivorous, so we tried to rear some on animal foo*!, 

 [but withoutsuccessj. * * ' Kvery gradation in size appeared among the larva". 

 But the fact that about one third of the larv.e received in May pupated the same 

 season, would indicate that the wireworms reach maturity in 3 years. 



