06 HOPS. [1899 



believe, been previously brought forward. In localities where it could 

 be carried out, as above-mentioned, in Hop-grounds, and also in 

 Strawberry-grounds, or in gardens where Wireworm infestation may 

 be found to occur yearly, and the field deterrents for egg-laying cannot 

 be applied, the above plan of trapping by laying pantiles, or probably 

 a great many other materials, under which the Wireworms would find 

 a dark shelter, and from which they could at intervals be removed 

 and destroyed, would probably act very serviceably. 



I should perhaps mention that on applying to Messrs. G. Webb, 

 of Tunstall, for their permission to draw attention to the successful 

 treatment, they kindly gave it me, with the j^roviso that they must 

 disclaim all originality in the idea, which they believed originated at 

 the conference of Hop-growers at Wye, and that their part of the 

 matter was only having practically carried out the suggestion. But, 

 any way, the observation seems to me to be too serviceable to be 

 overlooked. 



Carnivorous Wireworms. — The food of the Wireworm for the most 

 part, or with very rare exceptions, consists of roots of grass, or corn, 

 or succulent roots, as Potatoes, Carrots, &c., of too many kinds to be 

 easily enumerated ; but there are some exceptions to the rule recorded, 

 and during last season I was fortunate enough to have an example sent 

 of a Wireworm which had been taken in the very act of perforating a 

 beetle, together with the recently developed beetle on which it was 

 feeding. 



On July 29th I was favoured by Mr. Chas. T. Druery, F.E.S., 

 writing from Stanwixbank, 11, Shaa Koad, Acton, with the following 

 observations, accompanied by the specimens referred to : — 



" I send you herewith an Otiorhynchus sulcatus, and I believe a 

 common Wireworm. The weevil you will perceive is pierced through 

 the back. I noticed the latter this afternoon climbing one of my fern 

 fronds with the Wireworm fixed upon its back ; in a few minutes the 

 latter had evidently penetrated so far as to seriously weaken the weevil, 

 which then fell off the plant to the ground. I lifted them, and noticed 

 the head of the Wireworm coming out on the opposite side, and 

 hastened to get some hot water, hoping to send you the two together, 

 but unfortunately the worm crawled right through in the interim. If 

 it should be a true Wireworm, we have here a curious case of two pests 

 in conflict, if I may call it so where the weevil was a quite passive 

 victim. Thinking the case may interest you as evidence, at any rate 

 of 'one for the weevil,' I send you the two for inspection." — (C. T. D.) 

 On examining the specimens sent, the Wireworm proved to be 

 beyond all doubt "a true Wireworm," and appeared to me to possess 

 the chief characteristics of the larva of the large and rare kind of 

 Click Beetle, Athens rhombeus, of which it is recorded: "The larva is 



