458 Insect Pests. 



stages the segments are protected dorsally by rather hardened shields, 

 on the first three segments are six jointed-legs, and on the anal 

 segment two pointed horn-like processes, and below a somewhat 

 tubular and extensile single fleshy protuberance like a proleg. The 

 larvae have not been known to do any harm, but appear on the other 

 hand to be beneficial. Similar damage is done in America by allied 

 species (5). 



At one time this attack was thought to be due to some special 

 circumstances (2) or change of habit, and to be new (1). 



From inquiries made it seems that gardeners have noticed these 

 insect depredations for many years. That it was not called attention 

 to before is not surprising. As the Nottingham attack was very 

 severe, it was investigated and the real culprits found. Frequent 

 attacks, before and since, to my knowledge have been put down to 

 birds. 



PREVENTION AND EEMEDIES. 



Some good may possibly be done by driving away the larvse in 

 the soil and so prevent the future beetles from carrying on their 

 ravages. A good dressing of soot well prong-hoed in, in early spring, 

 is best for this purpose. 



A mechanical mixture of naphthalene (one part) and road dust or 

 ash (ten parts) has also been found useful in driving the larvre else- 

 where. The beetles may easily be trapped. The best plan seems to 

 be that used by Messrs. Laxton Brothers of Bedford, namely, sinking 

 every here and there jam pots in which pieces of lights or meat have 

 been placed, together with sugar water. These pots (old jam pots I 

 find do excellently) should have the tops level with the ground and 

 be covered over with the straw. The beetles are attracted and fall 

 into the pots, and in this way a bed may soon be cleared of these 

 enemies. 



Warburton (2) tells us that at Nottingham large numbers of the 

 beetles were trapped in this way; also that raw meat covered with 

 sacking was used as a bait, and the beetles attracted to it were 

 readily caught and destroyed. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Moles feed on these beetles and their larv;e, and undoubtedly do 

 much to keep any excess of them in check. The great abundance of 

 these insects in Nottinghamshire was generally attributed to the use 

 of large quantities of town manure and the almost total absence of 

 moles, w r hich had been nearly exterminated in the district during the 

 preceding three or four years. 



