238 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 332 



Distribution. — May beetles are generally distributed but are 

 more likely to be troublesome in areas abounding in lawns, meadows 

 and pasture lands. 



Natural enemies.^Swine, skunks, blackbirds and crows all are 

 well-known enemies of white grub larvae, and the adults are preyed 

 upon by many nocturnal insectivorous creatures. 



Moreover, a considerable number of insects are known to para- 

 sitize these insects (16). 



Control. — From the standpoint of control of the foliage- 

 destroying beetles, which aspect of the problem constitutes the 

 field of the present publication, the cheapest and most effective 

 measure consists in spraying with poisons at the time the beetles 

 swarm to the trees and begin feeding upon the foliage, viz, in May 

 or June. Only occasionally will spraying be necessary for this pur- 

 pose, but valuable trees should be watched closely during May and 

 June of years when the flights of beetles are anticipated. The fore- 

 going remark applies more directly to the care of country estates, 

 golf links, etc. ; in other words, to the care of trees which are par- 

 ticularly valuable and growing in situations which render them most 

 likely to injury from these insects. 



In England the countrysides are organized to celebrate "cock- 

 chafer" days when huge quantities of the beetles are collected at 

 night by the use of lights, jarring, etc., but such measures scarcely 

 could be said to be practicable under American conditions. 



In forest-nursery seedbeds precautions should be taken not to 

 utilize soil known to be infested with white grubs, and clean culture 

 should be practiced that grass and other herbage will not attract 

 the egg-laying beetles and thus cause the beds to become polluted. 



THE CATALPA SPHINX 

 {Ceratomia catalpae Bvd.) 



Description. — The mutilation and sometimes the complete 

 defoliation of catalpa trees and groves, particularly of the southern 

 part of the State, are traceable to ravages of the catalpa sphinx. 

 In its best-known stage, it is a fleshy caterpillar of the horn-worm 

 group, resembling in size and shape the well-known tomato or 

 tobacco horn-worm. When mature it is about 3 inches long and 

 in common with many other members of the group bears a formid- 

 able appearing spine on the rear of the body, which, while fearsome 

 in appearance, is quite harmless. In color the worms are dark 

 green with black markings, but the proportions of the two colors 

 vary greatly, so that a considerable number of patterns are to be 



