1911 



EiYTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



97 



The Clover-root borer, llylastinus ohscurus, is widely .spread throughout the 

 Montreal region. Apparently it will soon allow but one good crop of clover in our 

 neighborhood. 



Red and Mammoth Clovers are seriously injured ; and I find the beetles breed- 

 ing also in Alsike and in Crimson Clover, but not to an injurious extent. They 

 sometimes start their tunnels in White Dutch and Sainfoin, but I have not so far 

 found them breeding there. Alfalfa and sweet clover are not affected here. 



The beetles started their tunnels here this season in the last of May and first 

 part of June. They cut an entrance hole either in the base of the crown or through 



-"*;•% 



Pig. 20. 

 Hylastinus ohscurus. Work in clover roots. e.Ti., entrance hole; 

 X., borings of adult beetle. The crown would separate easily 

 from the root. 



the side of the root, and continue a cylindric tunnel down the root, sometimes near 

 the surface, sometimes deeper into the tissue. Along the sides of the tunnel shallow 

 niches, egg-niches, are cut, and in these the eggs are deposited, one in each niche. 

 The larvse bore irregularly tlirough the substance of the root, and as tire majority 

 are working just below the crown the tissue is there often largely destroyed. The 

 crown for this reason frequently breaks away from the root when an attempt is 

 made to pull the plant. The first pupae are formed the third week in July, and 

 from this time until the first week in October pupse are always to be found. On 

 October 10th, this season, a very few pupge were obtained, but nearly all had trans- 



