58 



MANGOLDS. 



Beet Carrion Beetle. Silj^ha ojnica, Linn. 



SiLPHA OPACA. 



1, 2, young grubs feeding; 3, 4, grubs differing in shape, somewhat magnilicd ; 

 5, female beetle flying ; 6, male beetle, magnified. 



The attack of the Beet Carrion Beetle to Mangolds Las so rarely 

 been noticed in England, that I believe this is only the second year in 

 which it has been so recorded as having been observed here, although 

 the beetle is very commonly to be found in connexion with small dead 

 animals, whence the second part of its name. It has long been known 

 as occasionally occurring on Mangolds in Ireland, and in 1888 it was 

 found to be severely injuring Mangold plants at three distinct and 

 widely separated localities in England, namely, near Shrewsbury ; near 

 Newport, Mou. ; and at some farms near Honiton, Devon. 



In the past season it was again recorded as present, and again in 

 Devonshire, but only at one locality, namely, Batworthy, Chagford, 

 near Newton Abbot, in the Exmoor district, a good many miles from 

 the previous places of appearance near Honiton. 



On the 1st of July, Mr. F. N. Budd, writing from Batworthy, with 

 specimens of the grubs accompanying, noted that these were samples 

 of larva) which were doing great damage to his Mangold crop, and so 

 far as he could make out were larvae of the Beet Carrion Beetle (Silpha 

 opaca) ; but, Mr. Budd observed, " I have never seen them before, 

 and presume they are not commonly met with in this country as a 

 Mangold pest." 



The grubs were certainly the black, somewhat woodlice-like grubs 

 of the Beet Carrion Beetle, which, though variable in shape, as shown 

 in figures 4 and 6, may be known by the sharp edges of the sides 

 of the segments (succeeding the three first), which altogether give a 

 saw-like appearance to the sides of the grub ; the sides of the three 

 first segments are rounded. ■' 



* For descriptions and observations on attack of 1888, see my 12th 'Beport on 

 Injurious Insects,' pp. 91 — HO. 



