119 



LUDIUS ATTENNATUS — Melsh. 



Reddish brown ; head blackish, without any elevated cross line; 

 antennae deeply serrated, second joint short, not longer than the third. 

 Thorax rounded to the front, which is not wider than the head. 

 Elytra gradually attenuated from the base to the tip, which is acute ; 

 striae obsolete ; tip black, occupying nearly one-third of tbe surface, 

 the front line of this color running obliquely forward and inward 

 from each side to the suture. 



Length nearly four-fifths of an inch. Found in the northern part 

 of the State. Figured without a name in Dr. Le Baron's fourth re- 

 port, page 96, figure 44. 



REMARKS. 



The wire-worms, which do the greatest injury, are comparatively 

 small, varying in length, when full grown, from a little over halt an 

 inch to an inch and a quarter, the diameter varying from the size ot 

 a knitting-needle to that of a small quill. 



Our most injurious species are probably the larva? of the various 

 species of Melanotus and the closely allied genera, but as none of these 

 have been traced through their transformations, it is impossible to 

 pronounce with certainty on this point. 



Natural Enemies.— I am not aware that these insects are subject 

 to the attacks of any parasitic species of their own class. _ There are 

 a number of birds which are fond of them and afford considerable aid 

 in checking their increase; among these we may mention the much- 

 abused robin and crow, the blackbirds and thrushes; in Europe the 

 rook appears to be the special enemy of these worms. 



Remedies.— In Europe, where these worms have long been the 

 most troublesome pest with which the farmer and vegetable gardener 

 is troubled, various remedies have been proposed and tried, yet none 

 with satisfactory results. For the purpose of gratifying the curiosity, 

 rather than with any expectation of benefitting our farmers, 1 men- 

 tion some of these: . - 

 Many years ago Sir Joseph Banks recommended placing pieces of 

 sliced "potatoes over the surface of the ground as traps for them, 

 thereby attracting them and rendering their capture easy, it is evi- 

 dent that this remedy is practicable only on ahmited scale, as in valu- 

 able vegetable gardens. Turnips, lettuce, cabbage, beets, parsnips, 

 carrots, or apples may be substituted for potatoes. 



Applications of salt, lime, etc., to the soil have also been recom- 

 mended, and, it is maintained, practiced with success in many cases. 

 But it is more than likely that in these cases, as was suggested with 

 reference to the "white grub," the applications, when followed with 

 good results, were made just before the great mass of the worms passed 

 into the pupa state. To be effectual immediately the soil must be 

 saturated to an extent sufficient to injure vegetation, but it is possible 

 if such applications are made annually, early in the spring, they may 

 assist in driving away the worms. . 



As the eggs of those that are injurious to field crops are in ail 

 probability laid in the grass, from whence the young, as soon as 

 hatched, penetrate the ground, it follows that crops which are planted 



