THE INSECT WORLD. 



183 



insect world. Scarcely a farmer can be found who has not been 

 troubled to some extent by "wire-worms," and many a remedy 

 recommended as infallible has been tried and found wanting in 

 actual practice. We have two series of species, one of which 



Fig. 165. 



Fig. 166. 



Fig. 167. 



O I 



Fig. 165, the eyed Elater, Alans ociilatiis. Fig. 166, wood-boring wire-worm, from side. 

 Fig. 167, a, larva ; b, adult click-beetle. 



feeds in decaying wood, the other underground on the roots of 

 plants ; of these the first may be left out of consideration alto- 

 gether, though in it may be found the species of Alans, our 

 largest and most prominent forms. The history of the subterra- 

 nean species is in general as follows : The beetles appear quite 

 early in spring, and may be noticed in fields where a sod has 

 been turned down, during the first days of May, or earlier in the 

 Southern States. They fly quite rapidly in mid-day, copulate, 

 and later seek a place to oviposit. During May or June, earlier 

 or later, according to the species, the eggs are laid in grass-land 

 or where there are plenty of weeds, — in other words, wherever 

 vegetation, especially of a grassy character, is abundant. The 

 larvae hatch by midsummer and feed upon roots, growing but 

 slowly and requiring, indeed, in many cases, two or three years 

 to complete their development. Pupation takes place in fall, and 

 usually the change to the adult also takes place before winter sets 

 in, though they remain quiet, and do not voluntarily emerge 

 until the spring following. 



This brief sketch does not apply in its entirety to all the sub- 

 terranean forms even, but it applies very well to the majority 



