Wes..D.A.; B. EB. Bull 95; Part V. Cy hele, April 22) 1913¢ 
PAPERS ON CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 
THE FALSE WIREWORMS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. 
By James A. Hystop, 
Agent and Expert, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Up to within the past five years, except for a few scattering notices, 
the species of Eleodes have been considered of only incidental, if of 
any, economic importance. The Tenebrionide, to which this genus 
belongs, are sometimes saprophagous, feeding on dead vegetable 
matter in the soil, and occasionally on dead animal tissue as well 
as on stored grain and other food products. 
Superficially the larvee resemble the true wireworms (elaterid 
larvee), and on account of this resemblance and the similarity of their 

Fic. 22.—The false wireworm, Eleodes letcheri vandykei: Adults in characteristic attitudes. Some- 
what enlarged. (Original.) 
depredations in the grain fields the two are often confused. On 
closer examination, however, Eleodes larve can be easily recognized; 
the antenne are rather long and very conspicuously clavate, the 
body is not flattened, and the forelegs are long and stout. These 
larve can move with great rapidity as compared with true wireworms 
The confusion of Eleodes with the true wireworms is unfortunate, 
as the preventive and remedial measures for the two pests are quite 
distinct, what is efficient treatment in one case being quite useless 
in the other. 
HISTORICAL. 
Among the earliest references to the economic importance of these 
beetles in this country is a note by Prof. Lawrence Bruner,! in which 
the species Eleodes tricostata Say is recorded as attacking cabbage 


! Bul. 26 (old series), Div. Ent., U.S. Dept. Agr., pp. 11-12, 1892. 
73) 
