1884.] mSECT PREVENTION. 277 



for us, I am sure, considering tlie light that has been thrown on the 

 subject from observations taken here, to despair at all of turning out 

 the wheat midge, cccidoriujia triticl, in its larval state, as ' red 

 maggot,' from its autumn and winter shelter at the roots of stubble 

 and grass. These are the points wliich seem desirable to observe to- 

 day ; to note just so much of the habits of these pests as may be a 

 guide where to look for them, and also from the methods of treatment 

 which have been found to answer in some cases to see how much more 

 could be carried out. There are some few points in habits or conditions 

 which many of these crop attackers have in common in their winter 

 state. They are lujhcrnatiiuj. That does not mean that they arc 

 under the influence of cold. They may or may not be. But even if 

 Ihey are frozen stiff, this, as far as we know (and in some cases we 

 know it with certainty) , will not do them any harm, so long as the 

 freezing takes place in their own chosen or formed winter shelter. 

 We may rather describe hybernation as a v/inter torpor, a long rest 

 for the perfect insect ; and a state in which the time of development 

 of many caterpillars and chrysalids, which would have come to 

 maturity in a few weeks in summer, is prolonged, so that they remain 

 unchanged until their food plants arc ready for them, or for the 

 insect they turn to in the following spring. When they are thus in 

 their winter shelters we have many of them at our disposal, and by 

 care previous to this date, we may in some degree prevent these 

 various creatures establishing themselves in legions wherever they 

 may choose. Daddy-longlegs ranlv with our worst crop pests, and 

 the great appearance of these flies towards autunm shows us without 

 any need of further teaching when the greatest quantity of eggs are laid. 

 1u the present year (1883) it was just about the last week in August 

 ihat letters began to be sent noticing the prevalence of the flies, and 

 desiring means of prevention. We may see these flies on meadow 

 land, and especially where from the grass or herbage not being grazed 

 down, or being damp or over-shadowed, it is long and rank, and 

 afterwards, when pasture or clover ley is broken up, we find the 

 consequence of the daddy-longlegs having made it their home. The 

 ground is, or very likely is, swarming with leather-jackets, with the 

 grubs of the daddy-longlegs, scientifically the larvtc of various kinds 

 of Tlpida. These grubs are not very long-lived, those from the 

 autumn -laid eggs feed and grow during the following season, until, 

 their feeding time being over, they change some time during the 

 summer into chrysalids, and thence (shortly) into daddy-longlegs. 

 Therefore we have only one year's set to deal with at a time. It is 

 not as with wireworms or with cockchafer grubs, where we may 

 have not only those of the previous autumn, but possibly those of one 

 or tv;o or three preceding autumns also to deal with. If we can by 



