116 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



free of the beetles. However, in Dickinson County, Kansas, one 

 specimen was found feeding on alfalfa. In pasture land, ironweed 

 (Vernonia baldwinii), Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), and white 

 clover (Trifolium repens) are apparently important food plants. The 

 beetles are to be found abundantly near those plants. There is some 

 evidence that the females prefer to lay their eggs at the base of the 

 ironweed plants. In one case 81 eggs were found within a radius of 

 two inches from an ironweed plant and in the first eight inches of soil. 



Natural Enemies 



Natural enemies are not abundant in Kansas. None of the common 

 parasites of Lachnosterna have yet been noted. However, one adult 

 of a Sarcophagid fly, Sarcophaga prohibita Aid., was reared by J. J. 

 Davis from material sent him by the writer. This is his first record of 

 this species from Lachnosterna and he believes it a true parasite as the 

 species is one of the group of true parasitic Sarcophagids. 



Control Measures 



The methods of control for this and other white grubs have not been 

 clearly worked out as yet, owing to the fact that the grubs live entirely 

 below the surface of the ground, and that they require two or three 

 years to complete their development. One of the striking features in 

 the injury to wheat by lanceolata is that the damage is occurring in 

 those fields that have been in wheat for a period of years. The injury 

 seems to be cumulative, increasing in severity from year to year. This 

 is due to the fact that the females are wingless and do not leave the 

 field, but deposit their eggs in the same area from which they emerged. 



One of the best means of control thus far known is that of rotation of 

 crops. The planting of corn or sorghums on infested land has often 

 served to eliminate the field of grubs in one year. Another factor in 

 the use of corn and sorghum is that repeated working of the ground 

 destroys the grubs in large numbers. A rotation of corn, oats and 

 wheat has proved very effective in prevention of damage by this species. 

 A striking example of the effectiveness of such a rotation was observed 

 by Mr. J. W. McColloch in Harper County, Kansas, in the fall of 1918. 

 An 80-acre field that had been in wheat continuously until 1917 was 

 divided into a north and south half. The north half was allowed to 

 remain in wheat. The south half was planted to corn in 1917, to oats 

 in the spring of 1918, and wheat the same fall. At the time of writing 

 (November, 1918) the north half of the field is a total loss while in the 

 south half there is scarcely a plant missing. On the west of this par- 

 ticular field there is another field that has been in wheat for three 

 years. A few grubs are present, but not enough to injure the crop. 



