INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CORN 



159 



The adult beetle is of a bright green marked with twelve black 

 spots, which have given it the name of 12-Spotted Cucumber- 

 beetle to distinguish it f ro.m the Striped Cucumber-beetle (page 379) , 

 with which it is often associated feeding on cucurbs. It is some- 

 what larger and more robust, than D. longicornis, and is almost 

 omnivorous in its food habits, feeding upon the foliage and flowers 

 of a long list of forage and garden crops, to which it often does 



FIG. 11$. The southern corn root-worm: a, egg; b, larva; c, work of larva 

 at base of cornstalk; d, pupa; e, beetle all much enlarged except c. 

 (After Riley.) 



considerable damage. Beans are frequently injured in much the 

 same way as corn and the roots of melons and other cucurbs are 

 often so riddled by the Iarva3 as to kill the plants. 



Injury to corn is done by the larvae in the spring, when they feed 

 upon the roots while the corn is but a few inches high, bore into the 

 crown, and boring into the base of the stalk through the young 

 leaves eat out the " bud." The latter injury often seems to be 

 more serious to corn than the injury to the roots, and has given 

 the insect the common local name of " bud worm," which is 

 unfortunately applied to several other insects which do similar 



