190S 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



65 



and others nearly mature and perhaps entering the pupa stage. It is evident then that the 

 breaking up of the land will destroy but a small number of all the wireworms in the soil. If 

 the ploughing is done in the fall, and the land is kept well stirred until winter sets in, many 

 pupae will be destroyed ; but the grubs will be but slightly injured. The roots of the grasses 

 turned under may satisfy their appetite the following season, and the crops may not suffer 

 much. In the second season, however, these supplies of food are exhausted, and the roots of 

 the growing crops are called into requisition. Hence the common complaint that wireworms 

 are often more destructive the second season after the sod is ploughed under. It behoves the 

 farmer, therefore, to put in a crop which is specially immune, such as peas, or a hoed crop. 



(a) The Female Midge, with her four-pointed ovi- 

 positor extended ; {b) head ; (c) tip of ovipositor ; {d) 

 joints of antennse ; all his;hlv magnified. (Riley.) 



(a) The Male Midge, highly magnified ; (b) head, 

 Surther enlarged ; (c) clasping organs ; (rf) joints of 

 antennae ; (e) cla«s ; (//) forms of scales on body 

 and wings. (Riley.) 



The main preventive is a short rotation of crops, in which the fields are not allowed to 

 remain longer than two seasons in grass. 



Experiments and experience have both shown that there is no use attempting to kill the 

 wire-worms by soaking the seeds in poisonous chemicals, or by putting poisonous substances on 

 the lands in the hope that the insects will be killed. 



Outworms were quite abundant in many sections of the Province, and did considerable 

 damage. 



An interesting observation was made in Kent County where the cutworms were very 

 numerous up to the end of May. Heavy rains occurred at this time, and many of the low, 

 level fields were inundated. Thousands of dead cutworms were seen along the borders of th« 

 drowned fields. 

 5 EN. 



