February, 16] HAYES: maize bill-bug 123 



structed in the stalk. When corn fields are plowed in the spring their 

 winter quarters are broken up and they seek shelter under old corn 

 shocks, trash, or anything offering favorable protection. About the 

 last of April, they begin to emerge from these temporary shelters and 

 seek food wherever it is available. Corn coming through the ground at 

 this time is severely injured by the bill-bugs moving from plant to 

 plant. 



Mating begins in the early part of May after the bill-bugs have fed 

 for some time. In 1914, it was observed as early as May 10. Thir- 

 teen days later the first eggs were found. Mating may occur either on 

 the plant or on the surface of the soil at any time of the day, but seem- 

 ingly more often in the morning. A single pair was observed to mate 

 twelve times between May 11 and July 7, but as they were not under 

 constant observation, mating may have occurred more frequently. 



Chittenden (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 59-61, 1905) 

 gives the following sexual differences which readily distinguish males 

 and females: " cf — first abdominal segment very feebly concave; 

 pygidium truncate at apex. 9 — first ventral segment scarcely differ- 

 ent; pygidium narrowed and rounded at apex." 



Overwintering adults may live through the summer and into the fall 

 as late as November 3, but the majority die soon after the egg-laying 

 period ends, which is from the last of June to the first of August, 

 depending on the character of the season. 



Adults can be easily reared in any cage with smooth perpendicular 

 sides, such as tin or glass, that will prevent them from climbing out. 

 Mason jars, empty cigar tins, or large, covered mailing tubes are 

 always obtainable and satisfactory. 



Egg 



Eggs are deposited in shts made by the female in the plants either 

 just below or above the surface of the soil. Generally these slits are 

 made in the sheath surrounding the stalk and do not seriously affect the 

 plant. The slits are made with the beak of the adult which afterwards 

 reverses its position and deposits the egg. Upon the withdrawal of 

 the ovipositor the slit closes. These punctures are small compared to 

 the feeding punctures, containing ordinarily only one egg in a slit. 

 However, as many as three eggs have been found in a single cavity. 

 Eggs are sometimes laid in the soil near corn plants and may be laid, 

 even when corn is available, in the bottom of rearing cages that do not 

 contain soil. Generally, these larvse, upon hatching, fail to find food 

 and perish. 



Eggs are yellowish-white in color, reniform in shape, and about 

 three millimeters long. The average length of the incubation period 



