1 14 Tlie La mil amJ Ptipal SUnjes o/ Agriotes obsciirus 



2. The common "wireworm" in Cheshire, North Staffordshire, 

 and South Lancashire, is the larva of Agriotes ohscurus. 



3. The life of the larva is probably four, rather than five years. 



4. The larva of Agriotes ohscurus can be distinguished from that 

 of A. lineatus by means of the development of the blunt tooth, just 

 below the apex of the mandibles (more prominent in A. ohscurus); 

 by the orderly arrangement of the body hairs, and the more anterior 

 position of the stigmata; and by the pseudopodium or anal papilla 

 on the ninth abdominal segment of A. lineatus having three apical 

 divisions, while that of A. ohscurus only has two. 



5. Birds, particularly the Plover (or Lapwing), are of great value 

 in checking the larvae of Agriotes ohscurus (as well as other related 

 species). The Plover, which is wholly beneficial, should be stringently 

 protected. The common Mole {Talpa europaea) is also of great value 

 in checking the pests, and should not be wantonly destroyed, unless 

 increasing in too large numbers. The amount of damage caused by 

 a mole is probably very small in comparison with the amount of good 

 it does. 



6. The larva pupates in an earthen cell in the ground, down to 

 one foot deep ; the pupal period is about three weeks ; the imago 

 remains resting motionless in the pupal cell for roughly two months, 

 after which it comes to the surface, and hibernates under stones, clods, 

 etc., until the next season. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



1. Adams, L. E. Talpa europaea, habits, etc. Mem. Manchesler Soc, 1902, 



Vol. XLVii. Art. 4. 



2. Beling, Th. Beitrag zur Metamorphose der Kaferfamihe der Elateriden. 



Deutsche ent. Zeit, 1883, xxvn. p. 141 ; 1884, xxvm. p. 199. 



3. Chapuis and Candeze. Larves des Coleopteres-Elateridae. Mem. Soc. Roy. 



des Sciences, Liege, 1855, p. 139. 



4. CoLLiNGE, W. E. Food of nestling birds. Journ. Bd. Agric. Sept. 1912. 



5. Food of some British wild birds, 1913. Dulau and Co. 



6. Curtis, J. Farm insects, 1860, pp. 152-195. 



7. Graf, J. E. Prelim, report on sugar-beet wireworm. U. S. Depart. Agric, 



Ent. Bull, No. 123, 1914. 



8. Henriksen, K. L. Oversigt over de danske Elateride larver. Enfom. Meddel. 



IV. 1911, pp. 225- ,329, 76 figs. 



9. JuDD, S. Food of some nesthng birds. Yr. Bk., U. S. Depart. Agric, 1900. 

 10. Leigh, H. S. Interim leport on feeding habits of Rook. Ecov. nrnith. Coinm., 



1914. 



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