178 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



the necessary perforation. By moving forward and backward 

 and twisting to the right and left, the beetle will often hollow out a 

 cavity beneath the surface much larger than the superficial injury 

 will indicate." As the lower part of the stalk becomes hardened, 

 they leave it for the terminal portion, and when the ears commence 

 to form they often penetrate the husk and gorge out the soft cob. 

 Sometimes the injury thus inflicted is but slight, merely resulting 

 in a puncturing of the leaves when they unfold, these holes being 

 in a series across the leaf resulting from a single puncture when the 

 leaf was folded, and looking much like the work of the corn-root 

 webworm; but when several beetles attack a young plant, they 

 will either kill it outright or so deform the foliage and stalk that 

 no ear will mature. 



Several other species have also been known to do more or less 

 injury to corn, viz., S. scoparius, placidus, cariosus, sculptilis, 

 and pertinax, but so far as known their habits and injuries are 

 much the same as of those already described. 



Means of Control. The control of these pests is rather a diffi- 

 cult task. S. ochreus, as in fact are all of the species, is most 

 injurious on recently cleared swamp-lands, and usually disappears 

 as fast as these lands are drained and cultivated. Planting flax, 

 potatoes, or some crop not attacked by these insects for the first 

 crop will largely prevent so serious injury to a subsequent corn 

 crop. The burning over of grass- and swamp-lands infested with 

 the beetles will also be of considerable value. 



The Maize Bill-bug * 



Throughout the Southern States and northward to Kansas 

 there has been more or less serious injury by a bill-bug which has 

 been recognized for many years as Sphenophorus robustus Horn. 

 Recently Dr. F. H. Chittenden has recognized this insect as a new 

 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 



* Sphenophorus maidis Chittn., see E. O. G. Kelly, Bulletin 95, Part II, 

 Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agr. 



