WHITE GRUBS 71 



chrysalis state. Here they remain until the following June, 

 when they emerge as moths to lay eggs for another l)rood of 

 web-worms. 



These web-worms appear so late in the season that it is 

 impracticable to spray orchard trees for them. But a little 

 careful observation in July and early xVugnst will lead to the 

 discovery of tlie young colonies, when it is an easy matter to 

 cut them oft and burn or crush the larvoe. It is especially 

 important that this should be done on young trees, for other- 

 wise serious injury may occur. 



The extraordinary drouth during the summer served to make 

 more serious the outbreaks of White Gruus which occurred 

 in various parts of the state. There was a very general injury 

 to pastures and lawns, and some crops other than grass were 

 injured. From Brentwood serious damage to strawberries was 

 reported. These pests are the young or larva? of the common 

 May Beetles or June Bugs; they hatch from eggs laid during 

 early summer about the roots of grasses. The young grubs 

 feed upon these roots, growing very slowly, so that two or 

 three seasons are required for their development. When they 

 iinally become full-grown in this gTub or larval stage each 

 forms an oval cell in the soil in which it changes to the pupa 

 state. A little later it changes to an adult beetle. These 

 changes generally take place in autumn, and the beetles re- 

 main in the earthen cells until the following spring. Then in 

 Mav thev come forth to feed upon the leaves of various trees. 



These white grubs have various natural enemies. Eobins, 

 blackbirds, crows, and other birds devour them, and they are 

 preyed upon by cei-tain insects, but their most important foe 

 seems to be the skunk. It is well known that a large propor- 

 tion of the food of this animal in summer consists of these 

 grubs. I saw striking evidence of this in a hillside pasture in 

 Durham last summer. This pasture was seared and brown, 

 the grass having been killed by the combined efforts of the 

 grubs and dry weather. All over its surface toward the end 

 of the summer were to be seen the little holes where the skunks 

 had dug down and captured the grubs. I estimated that in 

 many parts of the field there was one of these holes to every- 



