394 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. IV, 



is a most serious pest in the parts of Utah where it is at present 

 common and doubtless will be so in any of the western alfalfa 

 regions. Railroads lead in all directions and it is only a matter 

 of time until this species has reached the other alfalfa growing 

 localities. (Map 11.) 



In the dry regions, where there is little rainfall during the 

 hot summers and very little humidity in the atmosphere, it is 

 very doubtful if the fungus diseases will work. In the coast 

 regions the fungus is undoubtedly the one enemy that keeps 

 the species there present in check. 



Cultural methods, the introduction of better methods of 

 farming, rotation of crops, use of gathering machines, careful 

 stamping out of incipient colonies and the hope of parasites 

 from Europe are all factors leading toward the control of the 

 species of this group in the more arid climates. 



Plates XXXIII and XXXIV illustrate something of the 

 problem from the standpoint of the western farmer and show 

 what is being done to aid in cultural lines. Plate XXXIII is 

 adapted from Bui. 110 of the Utah Agr. Exp. Sta., which gives 

 an account of the work accomplished against P. posticus up to 

 July 1, 1910. 



GENERA HYPERA AND PHYTONOMUS. 



While these two genera are closely related, there are unmis- 

 takable characters that readily separate them. Ilypera has 

 the beak short, blunt and thick; scarcely one-half longer than 

 the remainder of the head; mandibles never emarginate; 

 elytra much wider than the thorax ; usually wider or as wide as 

 the distance from base to point where the elytra curve down- 

 ward; humeri very prominent, convex; alternate interspaces 

 beginning with the sutural one strongly elevated and wider 

 than the others; intercoxal process broad, stem of male 

 genitalia (PI. XXIV, fig. 14), fully as wide as long. 



Type: Hypera punctata Fab. 



In Phytonomus the body is never stout, broad and thick, 

 beak never short and blunt; intercoxal process somewhat 

 narrowed at tip; mandibles always more or less emarginate; 

 elytra as wide or a little wider than the thorax; stem of male 

 genitalia (PI. XXIV, figs. 5-13), much longer than wide, 

 generally two or three times longer. 



Type: Phytonomus arator L. (polygoni L.) 



