GROUND BEETLES. 119 
lie round the plant and under the earth, which is covered with straw 
and litter, having their holes and runs through the earth and litter, 
the opening being through the litter, and just under the bunch of 
fruit attacked.”—(W. R.) 
At Sandridge, in the past year, it was observed: ‘* They remained 
in the soil during the day, and came to the surface at night.”— 
(JXA...C:) 
At Hindringham, Norfolk, my correspondent mentioned: ‘‘ My 
man and I yesterday searched a crack in the ground in the Straw- 
berry bed, and in about a foot or eighteen inches found a dozen.’”— 
(is. Ps) 
Another correspondent from near Wokingham, Berkshire (p. 117), 
noticed: ‘‘ They were not to be seen on the surface in the daytime, 
apparently burying themselves about an inch underground, but at 
night they were very busy.” 
These various notes point to them as being regular night feeders, 
and the name of ‘Bat Beetles’? given them in one locality draws 
attention so serviceably to their evening and nocturnal appearances, 
that I have added it at the heading in addition to the scientifically 
accepted name of ‘‘Ground Beetles’’ for this whole section of 
Geodephaga. 
Measures of prevention and remedy which could be brought to bear 
on a broad scale are greatly needed. The most successful treatment 
appears to be putting down pieces of flesh covered with bits of thick 
sacking; this is said to attract large numbers, which can easily be 
removed and killed each morning. Another plan of trapping is to 
sink vessels below the ground-level, into which the beetles fall, and 
are killed by some destructive mixture within. Also, from the way in 
which they have been found in large numbers on the surface of water, 
it might be worth trying whether they would be attracted by means 
of pans of water placed on the Strawberry beds. 
Opinions appear to differ as to serviceableness of moles; from the 
wing-cases of the beetles being found in the rejectamenta of the 
moles, there appears to be no doubt that they devour the beetles if 
so disposed, but there is no mass of evidence as to benefit from their 
presence. The only way in which to get at the pests in the ground 
really serviceably appears to be watering with some chemical which 
would not be hurtful to the plants, but be destructive to the pest in its 
pupal state, in which it is lying unprotected by any hard skin, and 
also unable to move, shortly before its change to beetle condition. 
There might be a chance of this doing good, just as by sprinkling 
kainite the development of one or two kinds of insects may be checked 
very beneficially. 
