410 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



avidity. In addition to gypsy moth larvae, other small 

 caterpillars were provided, which they ate with apparent 

 relish. A pupa of Orgyia leucostigma was also eaten by 

 the beetles. The average consumption equalled about one 

 small gypsy moth caterpillar daily. In killing noxious in- 

 sects these beetles probably will not be found as helpful 

 as some of the larger species of Carabidse ; although they 

 take most of their food on the ground, they are sometimes 

 taken under burlaps, thus indicating that they may also feed 

 in trees. 



On June 9 several eggs were found in the earth, from one- 

 fourth to one inch below the surface. Eggs were also laid 

 as follows: June 10, nine; 11, nine; 18, six; and on the 

 29th, three, — making a total of over thirty eggs deposited. 

 After the last date no eggs were laid. August 19 the female 

 beetle escaped in some unknown way, and the observations 

 with the adults were discontinued. A few of the eggs 

 hatched, but all the larv83 died before pupating. 



Harpalus caliginosus (Fab.). 



This beetle has been often observed feeding on injurious 

 insects. Among the common ones which have been most 

 frequently noted in the literature are cut worms, army worms 

 and the Colorado potato beetle in its different stages. Pro- 

 fessor Riley * found that large numbers of nymphs of the 

 Rocky Mountain locust were consumed by this beetle, while 

 Dr. Howard f has noted that it feeds on the nymphs of 

 another destructive locust, Schistocet^a americana. It is a 

 fact, however, that the food of this beetle consists partly 

 of vegetable matter. I have several times observed it feed- 

 ing on the flower heads of Ambrosia artemisicefolia, and it 

 has been accused of eating wheat in the stack. Professor 

 Forbes X has discovered some interesting facts in regard to 

 the food of this species by examining the stomach contents. 

 Two specimens, collected in August and September, respec- 

 tively, were found to have eaten 35 per cent, of animal mat- 



* First Report United States Entomological Commission, 1878, p. 314. 



t " Insect Life," Vol. VII., p. 228. 



X Bulletin Illinois State Laboratorj- of Natural History, No. 6, 1883, p. 45. 



