136 INJURIOUS INSECTS 



their juices, causes the seed to shrivel and become worth- 

 less. When they have made their growth, these Midges 

 either enter the ground, or hide under rubbish 

 on the surface, and form a tough silken cocoon, 

 with particles of earth adhering. Some of the flies 

 appear in September, and others not until the following 

 spring. Figure 91 gives a highly magnified view of the 

 female fly and its details. Thus far this insect's ravages 

 have been confined to the Central and Western parts of 

 the State of New York, and the only remedy that has 

 been suggested is, for farmers in localities where the 

 Midge prevails, to stop growing clover-seed for several 

 years, or until the insect is starved out. 



THE CLOVER-ROOT BORER. 

 (Hylesinus trifolii, Miller.) 



This is an imported insect which has made itself at 

 home in Central New York, and in a number of localities 

 has caused a general failure of the Clover crop. It 

 was first described and figured in the " American 

 Agriculturist" for November 1879. The engraving 

 (fig. 92,) shows the appearance of the Clover, a, after the 

 attack of this insect, and the insect itself in its various 

 stages of larva, #, pupa c, and the perfect beetle d. It 

 passes the winter in either of these three states, and in 

 early spring the insects issue and pair. The female then 

 instinctively bores into the crown of the root, eating a 

 pretty large cavity, wherein she deposits from four to six 

 pale, whitish, elliptical eggs. These hatch in about a 

 week, and the young larvae at first feed in the cavity 

 made by the parent. After a few days, however, they 

 begin to burrow downward, extending to the different 

 branches of the root. The galleries made in burrowing 

 run pretty regularly along the axis of the roots, as shown 

 in the engraving, and are filled with brown excrement. 

 The pupa is formed in a smooth cavity, generally at the 



