164 



INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



species and Mr. E. O. G. Kelly has published a complete account 

 of its life history, from which the following is taken. 



As will be seen below this species is known to pass its entire life 

 history upon the corn-plant so that the common name given it 

 appropriately distinguishes it from other bill-bugs previously 

 mentioned. It has, however, been found feeding and probably 



breeding in swamp-grass (Tripsacum 

 dactyloides), which may be its native 

 food plant. 



Life History. The eggs were 

 found in southern Kansas during 

 June, laid in punctures made by the 

 female in young corn-plants. These 

 egg punctures are mere slits and do 

 not seem materially to injure the 

 plant. The eggs hatch in from seven 

 to twelve days, and from them 

 emerge small footless, dingy white 

 grubs, with chestnut-brown heads, 

 of the appearance shown in Fig. 140. 

 "They at once begin feeding on the 

 tissues of the young corn at the bot- 



S CMttn.! tom of the ^ puncture, directing 



four times natural size. (Af- their burrow inward and downward 

 ter Kelly, U. S. Dept. Agr.) into the taproot w^ they finish 



eating the tender parts of the taproot they direct their feeding 

 upward, continuing until full grown, allowing the lower portion of 

 the burrow to catch the frass and excrement. This burrowing of 

 the taproot of the young growing corn-plant is disastrous to the 

 root system; . . . allowing it to die or become more or less 

 dwarfed." Often the young larvae burrow into the heart of the 

 plant and cut off the growing bud, thus killing the top. The 

 larvae become full grown early in August, when they are about 

 four-fifths of an inch long. " The larvae, on finishing their growth, 

 descend to the lower part of the burrow, to the crown of the tap- 

 root, cutting the pith of the cornstalk into fine shreds, with which 

 they construct a cell where they inclose themselves for pupation." 

 The pupae are to be found in these cells in late August and early 

 September, the pupal stage lasting ten to twelve days. The adults 



FIG. 138. The 



