184 SCARRED SNOUT-BEETLES. 



verted umbrella, and if numerous could be captured very readily. 

 It is a robust insect, about the size of the imbricated snout-beetle^ 

 of a brownish-gray color. It is not often seen, but by beating 

 apple trees, as suggested above, it will be found to be much more 

 common than was suspected. 



Cercopeus chrysorhoeus Say, a similar beetle, is from time 

 to time found on the foliage of the grape, and a number of others 

 occur, but very rarely, upon the flowers and foliage of sonic of 

 our fruit-producing plants, but none cause any extensive dam- 

 age. 



THE PITCH Y-LEGGED OTIORHYNGHUS. 



(Odorhyrichus ovatus Linn.). 



This beetle, a typical one of the family, is getting very nu- 

 merous, and may, in time, cause injuries to the roots and crowns 

 of straw-berries. It has also been reported as feeding upon the 

 leaves of the apple. Here at the Experiment Station it was not 

 found until four years ago, but now is very abundant, especially 

 very early in spring, just after the snow has disappeared, and 

 again late in autumn. At such times it is found resting on the 

 sides of houses, not far from the ground. In autumn it is ready 

 to enter the ground to hibernate, and in spring it leaves such 

 quarters to enjoy the warmth of the sun. But what attracts such 

 large numbers of beetles to houses is difficult to understand, es- 

 pecially as these buildings are surrounded by well kept lawns. 

 Usually they can be found hibernating among logs and pieces of 

 bark lying upon the ground. 



Xo damages have been observed, but a number of the crowns 

 and roots of strawberries received from other parts of the state 

 tell a sad story, as they were excavated and killed by the larva? of 

 this beetle. They are much more destructive than the straw- 

 berry root-borer, which will be described later. 



The beetle, illustrated in Fig. 193, is very dark-brown, almost 

 black ; the thorax is very deeply pitted, the pits being sometimes 

 arranged in more or less regular rows ; the wing-covers are 

 striated, and at regular intervals in the stria? are deep punctures. 



