April, '19] HERRICK AND DETWILER: CLOVER INSECTS 209 



The Clover Tychius, Tychius picirostris Fab. 



The clover Tychius is a small grayish snout-beetle only about one 

 tenth of an inch in length. It is known in Europe, according to Blatch- 

 ley and Leng, as Miccotrogus picirostris, and there it lives in the 

 capsules of red clover, and on plantain and Genista. The beetle is 

 certainly widely distributed in New York State. Knight has found it 

 abundant especially on pear trees and Casey reports it "in extraor- 

 dinary numbers at Lake Champlain." Felt reports it from Water- 

 ville, New Baltimore, Albany, Newport, Specula- sk»^^ 



tor, Gouverneur, Oswego and McLean. Outside 

 of New York it has been taken in Maine, New 

 Hampshire and Massachusetts. In Canada, Du 

 Porte records it in large numbers in nearly all 



fields of common red and mammoth red clover in . !'^' yc lus 



1 ... ~ r^ A > y^ 1 TT 1 picirostris. 



the vicmity oi bte. Anne s, Quebec. Here the 



adults were feeding gregariously on the leaves while later in the season 



they attacked the flower heads of clover. 



Here at Ithaca we find it abundantly in fields of red clover. As 

 many as nineteen adults were found in a newly opening head of red 

 clover. The beetles apparently feed upon the pollen of the florets. 

 In a count made 90 per cent of the florets were punctured and in most 

 of these the anthers were shrunken and discolored. 



The larvce are white and only about 2 mm. in length and are found 

 living in the clover heads where they apparently feed upon the florets. 

 They were found in abundance during July and through the month 

 of August. The insect is undoubtedly capable of doing considerable 

 damage. When the larvae are full-grown they go into the soil and 

 there form cells apparently by cementing grains of soil and sand 

 firmly together. The summer brood of beetles began appearing about 

 the middle of August. We can say nothing yet as to the mode of 

 passing the winter or as to the eggs or place of deposition. It is hop?d 

 that the investigations may be continued during the coming season. 



The writers wish to make acknowledgement to Miss Ellen Edmon- 

 son for the drawings of the three species considered. 



European Com Borer. A subroinmittee on the pest has liecn appointed by the 

 Chairman of the Committee on Pohcy of the American Association of Economic 

 Entomologists. It consists of E. P. Felt, Chairman and Messrs. Herbert Osborn and 

 J. G. Sanders and is charged with all phases of the problem whicli migiit projwrly 

 come witliin the province of representatives of a national organization. 



