CHAPTER VIII 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO SMALL GRAINS * 

 Meadow-maggots or Leather- jackets f 



SEVERAL instances have been recorded in which serious injury 

 has been done to wheat, clover, timothy, and blue grass by 

 the larvae of Crane-flies. These insects are never so injurious 

 in this country as in Europe, where they are known as " daddy- 

 long-legs," the common name of our harvest-spiders, though 

 doubtless injury done by them is often attributed to other insects. 

 The farmer usually declares the work to be that of wireworms 

 or cutworms, the adults often being known as " cutworm-flies," 

 unless the maggots are so abundant as to attract his attention. 

 When the maggots are abundant enough to do much injury, 

 they usually occur in very large numbers, but ordinarily, though 

 common everywhere, they are not numerous enough to attract 

 attention. 



Several species (Tipula bicornis Loew, T. costalis Say, and 

 Pachyrrhinis sp.?) have at various times done considerable 

 damage in localities in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and elsewhere. 



Life History So far as studied, the life histories of these 

 species seem to be much the same. The larva) remain dormant 

 over winter, but evidently commence feeding again very early 

 in the spring, a wheat-field having shown the effects of their 

 injuries from February 1st to April 1st. The larvae become 

 full grown from the latter part of April until the middle of May, 

 depending upon the species and season. The full-grown maggots 

 are about an inch long, of a dirty-grayish color, and of a tough, 



* See " The Principal Insect Enemies of Growing Wheat," C. L. Marlatt, 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 132, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

 f Family Tipulidce. 



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