lOS Thp Larval and Pnpal Stages 0/ Agriotes obscuriis 



slightly tooth-shaped at their lateral posterior margins. There are 

 nine abdominal segments, of which the ninth is provided with two 

 spines. Each spine possesses a small spur at the base. According 

 to Curtis (6), these spines are movable. The ninth abdominal segment 

 is provided ventrally with a flap, broad at the base, suddenly narrow- 

 ing half way down the segment, and continuing in a smaller piece 

 with parallel sides, which terminates in two sharp points. Beling(2) 

 describes the pupa of Agriotes ohscurus in a similar manner to the above, 

 and adds that the segments of the antennae are as long as broad, that 

 the wing cases reach to the middle of the fourth abdominal segment, 

 and that the third pair of legs reach to the middle of the fifth abdominal 

 segment. In the pupa described above, the third pair of legs only just 

 reach on the fifth abdominal segment, and do not stretch half way. 



6. Comparison with Larvae of closely allied Species. 



The evidence showing that the common wireworms taken by the 

 author in Cheshire and other districts are larvae of A. ohscurus is as 

 follows : — 



All the larvae were examined under a binocular microscope, and 

 were apparently all similar. At this time I was inclined to believe 

 that the common wire worm represented the larval stage of Agriotes 

 lineaius. A comparison of my material with Schiodte's figure of the 

 anal segments of lineatus(i&) did not solve the problem. The larvae 

 undoubtedly belong to the genus Agriotes, and agree in general with 

 the figure of lineatus given by Schiodte, but differ as to certain details. 



Seven larvae at last pupated and the six adults that emerged were 

 Agriotes ohscurus. This seems to be corroborated by the interesting 

 observations of Newstead (previously mentioned), where the area 

 covered was mainly Cheshire, and part of Lancashire, and the records 

 of adult Elaters devoured by birds give A. ohscurus far more commonly 

 than A. lineatus. As the occurrence of wireworms is admittedly 

 universal, at any rate in this country, and as their attacks are not 

 epidemic, these facts seem to point to A. ohscurus as being the parent 

 beetle of the larva in question. The identification of the larva pro- 

 vides the next problem. 



The author has been unable to procure an undoubted specimen of 

 the larva of A. lineatus for comparison, so reference was made to the 

 literature. It was found that there is a scarcity of good accounts of the 

 larvae belonging to the genus Agriotes. Some of the older accounts were 



