97 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE LARVAL AND PUPAL 

 STAGES OF AGBIOTES OBSCUBUS, LINNAEUS. 



By GEORGE H. FORD, M.Sc. (Vict.), 

 Technical Expert, International Institute of Agriculture, Rome. 



[Front the Department oj Agricultural Entomology, 

 Manchester University.) 



(With Plates XVI and XVII and 1 Text-figure.) 



Although the larval stage of Agriotes ohscurus has undoubtedly 

 been of economic importance for a long period, yet there does not appear 

 to have been a good description of it until Westwood published a brief 

 account in 1839. Marsham in 1808(12) had figured a larva which he 

 considered to be a stage of Elater segetis (== Agriotes lineatus), but the 

 figure is too indefinite for accurate determination. Furthermore, he 

 says he was unable to breed out the perfect insect, and was relying on 

 Bierkander for his information. 



Westwood (18), however, describes the larva of Agriotes obscurus and 

 figures the antenna, the under side of the head and prothoracic segments. 



