307 



BuRXE (H. E.). Notes on Some Southwestern Buprestidae. — Jl. Econ. 

 Entotn., Concord, N.H., xi, no. 2, April 1918, pp. 20y-211. 



The eighteen species of flat-head borers dealt with in this paper 

 were collected from Sabino Canyon, Arizona. Several of the species 

 are of economic importance, as they riddle the wood of the mesquite 

 {Prosopis glandulosa) and other south-western shrubs and trees with 

 their larval mines. The majority attack dying or dead trees only, 

 but a few species will kill trees or parts of trees, one, Melmiophila 

 •pini-edulis specially attacking the pinion {Pinus edulis). 



Those mining in dead and dying wood are : — Psiloptem sp., 

 P. webbi, Lee. ; Ckrysobothris octocola, Lee, which often severely 

 damages posts and piles of mesquite firewood ; C. edwardsi, Horn ; 

 C. debilis, Lee. ; C. axillaris, Horn ; C. ignicollis, Horn ; C. ludificata, 

 Horn, the common species on yellow pine slash in northern Arizona ; 

 C. trinervia, Kirby, which also kills young yellow pine saplings by 

 girdling them close to the ground ; C. breviloba. Fall, which lays 

 its eggs between the scales of the bark of Pinus pomlerosa (western 

 yellow pine) ; C. exesa, Lee. ; C. texana, Lee. ; C. gemmata, Lee. ; 

 C. merkeli, Horn ; Actenodes calcarata, Chev. ; Acmaeodera conoidea, 

 Fall ; A. larreae, Fall ; and Tyndaris olneyae, Skinner. 



McCoLLOCH (J. W.). Notes on False Wire worms, with especial 

 Reference to Eleodes tricoslala, Say. — J I. Econ. Entom., Concord, 

 N.H., xi, no. 2, April 1918, pp. 212-224. 



The Tenebrionid genus Eleodes (false wireworms) comprises many 

 species that have recently come to be recognised as pests of growing 

 crops. Originally typical of the native prairies, the gradual cultiva- 

 tion of these latter is depriving the insects of their native food and 

 forcing them to feed on the more succulent cultivated crops. The 

 larvae so closely resemble true wareworms that considerable confusion 

 has resulted, much of the injury attributed to the latter, especially 

 in the semi-arid regions, being probably due to false ■udreworms. The 

 larvae are subterranean, nocturnal in their habits and move with 

 great rapidity through the soil, hence it is often impossible to find 

 them at work ^vathout a diligent search. 



Records of injuries due to E. tricostata are very few, but it has been 

 reported as feeding on the roots of grasses, as doing more damage 

 than cutworms to cabbage and other garden crops, and as being a 

 general feeder on weeds in the field. 



In Kansas this species is a pest of the native prairie grasses, but 

 in the laboratory both larvae and adults feed readily on germinating 

 wheat and maize. It is widely distributed throughout the western 

 central States from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains and 

 extends northwards into British America. 



In studying the hfe-history, eggs were placed in small tubes closed 

 with cotton plugs and kept in the field insectary under outdoor condi- 

 tions. On hatching the larvae were placed in tin boxes containing 

 shghtly moistened soil and a small amount of bran for food, for which 

 germinating wheat was substituted as they became larger. The soil 

 in the boxes was changed about every ten days in summer, but in 

 winter once in three weeks was sufficient. The adult beetles were 



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