316 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



This portion of tlie straw, tbat is, tbe space between tlie first and 

 second joints above tbe ground, very frequently dilfers from that further 

 up, by being nearly or quite solid, and consisting of a very juicy sub- 

 stance. And through the hard outer wall of this part of the straws, 

 where the eggs were found, were small, slit-like punctures, made by the 

 l>arent insect in order to introduce her agg. 



On the 11th of June, of the present year, these larva? were found in 

 tlie stems of wheat as they had been on several occasions the previous 

 season, and on the next day, the 12th, much of the obscurity which had 

 heretofore hung about the matter was dissolved hy finding' two adult 

 females of this species i^uncturing the lower part of straws in a plat of 

 barley on the university experiment farm, a contiguous plant showing 

 a freshly-made puncture in every way resembling those being excavated 

 by the two females, and also those noted the previous summer. 



Profitiug by previous foilures we did not now attempt to rear the 

 larvse in confinement, but watched carefully for any changes in the fields, 

 in order to determine what became of these larvae after they had out- 

 grown their habitation in the straws, as it was now apparent that they 

 could not acquire their full growth therein. 



On the 2d of July many had left the straws, and were then feeding 

 on the roots, thereby, to a greater or less degree, injuring straws con- 

 tiguous to the one originally infested. We now transplanted to the 

 breeding cage a clump of healthy wheat straws, and among the roots 

 of this placed a number of half to two-thirds grown larvas from about 

 roots in the fields. 



On the 7th of July the larvse were doing considerable damage to 

 spring wheat, working both in the straw and among the roots. 



On the ICth of July, in a field of oats near Goodland, Newton County, 

 Indiana, what seemed nearly a full-grown larva was found feeding 

 among the roots. 



The larva, on reaching maturity, apparently crawl to one side and 

 construct a rude earthen cell in which to transform ; at least no pupae 

 were found among the roots of the grain. 



On the 24th of Jiily some of the larvae i^laced in the breeding cage 

 on the 2d instant had pupated, and pupae were also found in the fields. 



A number of clumps of injured grain were examined that had grown 

 among young clover, but the larvae had, so far as could be seen, confined 

 their work to the grain. 



On the 11th of August, two adults appeared in the breeding cage, fol- 

 lowed a few days later by another, after which no more emerged. But 

 as larvai were observed on the 11th of June, and eggs were found last 

 season on the 1st of July, it is more than probable that their breeding 

 season and consequent period of emerging is considerably protracted. 

 ThQvo is but one brood in a season, as the adults are found in great 

 iiunibcrs in northern Illinois, from October to May, hibernating under 

 boards, old rails, and like rubbish. 



Dr. Eiley is, I believe, authority for the fact that this species also in- 

 j'lres corn in Missouri, and we have also observed the adults punctur- 

 iug young corn in June, just below the surface of the ground. 



THE WHITE GRUB. 



{Lachnosterna fusca, Froh.) 



That injuries caused by the previously-mentioned species are fre- 

 quently attributed to the one now under consideration, by farmers at 



