406 WIRE WORM. 



grown in July, and then is when they devastate meadow and oat 

 field. 



Here as elsewhere, with the enemies of our grasses, we must 

 trust largely to the other insects and birds that prey upon them. 

 Usually this is sufficient to so reduce their numbers that their 

 presence causes no anxiety, or even makes itself known to the 

 farmer. When they migrate, in armies, threatening meadow 

 and grain field, it is recommended to scatter straw, and when 

 they become involved in its meshes to burn them, straw and all. 

 Also to poison with the arsenites a portion of the grain or grass 

 on the side of the field towards which the army is advancing, 

 and thus hope by wholesale poisoning to save a portion of the crop. 

 This has usually failed, as the army is often so large that they 

 can devastate acres even though poisoned in this manner. The 

 most satisfactory method yet recommended has proved to be the 

 furrow or ditch. This is left steep on the side toward the field 

 to be protected, and to have holes, like post holes, dug in it at 

 frequent intervals. These holes receive the caterpillars, and the 

 latter, by use of a convenient stick, large at one end, may be 

 quickly killed, and so the holes made ready for a fresh lot of vic- 

 tims. A board fence of slight height has been made to take the 

 place of the ditch in some cases with good results. Of course 

 the encouragement of our insectivorous birds will aid here, as 

 everywhere, to help solve this insect problem. 



Elaters. Wire Worms. 



Order Coleoptera. Family Elateridae. 



The wire worms, like the white grubs, are the larvas of beetles, 

 live between two and three years in the earth, and by feeding 

 upon the roots often do great injury to cereal crops, corn, and 

 though not so much dreaded in meadows and pastures, they are, 

 beyond question, often quite injurious to nearly all our grasses. 



