INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CLOVER 205 



beetles do to the second crop of clover is fully equal that done 

 by the larvae to the first, and is more apparent because the soil 

 is then dry and the plant grows more slowly. 



That this insect has not become a more serious pest is due to 

 the fact that as often as it becomes excessively abundant the larvae 

 are almost completely destroyed by a fungous disease.* When 

 affected by this disease the larva? climb to the top of a blade of 

 grass, curl tightly around the tip, and soon die, first becoming 

 covered with a white mold and then turning to a jelly-like mass. 

 The spores of the fungus become scattered to healthy individuals, 

 which soon succumb, so that before long nearly all are destroyed, 

 and rarely do enough survive to cause trouble the next year. 



Control. On account of this disease repeated injury has been 

 so rare that no means of artificial control has been necessary. 

 " The necessity for the employment of any remedy does not 

 appear until the clover is well on in its second year's growth," says 

 Dr. Folsom (I.e.). " If damage is anticipated, however, it wouM 

 seem advisable to pasture the clover lightly or to clip back in the 

 spring; this does not hurt the clover, is highly desirable as a means 

 of forestalling the attacks of some other clover pests (see page 

 214), and might check the larvae of the leaf-weevil somewhat, 

 though it is possible that they would subsist on the cut stems until 

 the new growth started; and in cold weather they can live a long 

 time without any food. After the second season red clover should 

 be plowed under to get rid of this pest, as well as for other agricul- 

 tural reasons." 



The Alfalfa Weevil * 



In recent years a first cousin of the last species has been intro- 

 duced into Utah, where it has become firmly established and 

 promises to become the most serious obstacle to alfalfa culture. 

 The alfalfa weevil is a native of Europe, western Asia, and north- 

 ern Africa, where it is common but never very seriously injurious. 



* Empusa spharoperma Fres. 



* Phytonomus murinus Fab. Family Curculianidce . See E. G. Titus, 

 Bulletin 110, Utah Agr. Exp. Sta., and F. M. Webster, Circular 137, Bureau 

 of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agr. 



