FAEMERS' BULLETIN 875. 



Virginia it appears to be limited to poorly drained lands in the east- 

 ern section of the State — that is, in the section locally known as tide- 

 Avater Virginia. 



ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 



The outbreak in 1914 involved, so far as can be ascertained, about 

 300 acres of corn (fig. 3) in the tidewater section of Virginia. The 



injury, as previously stated. 



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was confined to low, poorly 

 drained fields. Some of the 

 infested fields were replanted 

 as many as three times. Dur- 

 ing the spring of 1917 many 

 reports of injury to corn by 

 the rough-headed corn stalk- 

 beetle were received from 



Arkansas, and xVlabama, the 

 damage caused b}^ the insect 

 in these States having been 

 severe and quite general in 

 character wherever the na- 

 ture of the soil was such as 

 to sustain the grubs. Field 

 observations show that these 



severe outbreaks, for reasons as 3'et imperfectly understood, do not 



necessarilv recur in successive vears. 



Fifi. 2. — 'Slnx> showing localities where outbreaks 

 of the rough-headed corn stalk-l)eetle have 

 occurred. 



MANNER OF INJURY. 



It should be understood clearly that injury to corn by the rough- 

 headed corn stalk-beetle is due entirely to the adult beetle, as the grub 

 does not attack growing plants. The damage to the corn crop takes 

 place only during spring and early summer. The heaviest damage 

 in Virginia appears to occur between May 20 and June 15, although 

 some slight injury may* occur as late as the 1st of July. The beetles 

 begin to attack the crop as soon as the plants appear above 

 ground and continue their attacks until the plants are at least knee- 

 high, or even somewhat taller. Full-grown plants, however, ap- 

 l)arently are never injured. The beetle bores into the outer wall of 

 tlie stalk immediately below the surface of the ground, making a 

 large, ragged opening (fig. 4), and destroys the tender growing point 

 or " heart," upon Avhich the black corn beetle appears to feed espe- 

 cially. The destruction of the " heart," or " bud," is indicated quickly 

 above ground by the withering of the central roll of leaves, the other 



