bate 
Pal . 
* 
the posterior margin of the fifth segment. The wings attain the midd le 
of the sixth segment. 
Each abdominal segment bears on each side a long spine on its 
lateral edge, situated near the middle on the first seven, and at the 
posterior angles of the last two, pointed directly backwards on the last 
segment. ‘The spiracles are rather large, circular, slightly elevated on 
broad tubercles, darker colored and conspicuous on the first five seg- 
ments, indistinctly visible on the remainder. Just above these on each 
segment, is a strongly elevated carimate ridge, also bearing a spine, 
except on the last segment. The spines are small, except on the seventh 
and eighth segments, where the ridge becomes enlarged and overhanging, 
and the spines large. The first four segments are short, nearly equal, 
about twelve times as wide as long; the fifth and sixth are each about 
twice as long as the second, the sixth a little the longest. The seventh 
segmenth is subtrigonal above, with curving sides; “the eighth conse- 
quently arcuate and narrow, obtusely pointed behind at middle: the 
ninth a little longer, less than half the width of the seventh, and trun- — 
cate posteriorly. Beneath, the seventh segment is the longest, and the 
eighth is very short, especially at middle. =! 
Adult. (Plate IV., Fig. 5.)—Length 5 to 6 mm. Body elongate- 
oval, smooth, moderately shining, black, evenly and finely, but not 
densely, punctured. Wing-covers with four yellowish spots, one at the 
base and one near the tip of each. These vary in extent and color. The 
wing-covers are subtrunecate at apex, exposing the tip of the abdomen 
above. 
at 
4 
WIREWORMS. 
( ELATERID®. ) 
Failure of the seed to start, or a sudden withering of the corn plant 
when a foot or two in height, especially if the field was broken up from 
grass one or two years preceding, are always sufficient to warrant a sus- 
picion of injury by wireworms. These hard, smooth, shining, reddish 
or yellowish brown cylindrical six-legged larve* are indeed much more Fe 
destructive to seed-corn, under round, in Illimois than all other insects _ 
taken together. They may begin their injuries to the seed almost im- 
mediately after planting, commonly burying their heads in it at first, 
sometimes eating entirely through the kernel, and even devouring it 
completely. _If they attack the growing plant they are likely to eat the 
smaller roots, or to penetrate or bore through the larger ones, dwarfing 
or killing the corn; and later, when the young plant is several inches 
high, they frequently kill it outright by boring their cylindrical channels 
directly through the underground part of the stalk. They are far the 
commonest in corn on ground which has lain for several vears in grass, 
and are much more likely to do serious mischief the second year after 
the breaking up of the sod. They should be sought for diligently on — a 
such lands whenever the seed fails to grow, or when the sudden wither- 
ing of the plant hints at a serious damage to it under ground. At such 
times practically all the wireworms in the field will be found in the hills 
* This general description of the wireworms does not apply to one very peculiar 
form (Cardiophorus) taken but once in Illinois, and described on pages 28-29. 
