400 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO GRASS. 



offensive of these moths. Xow we know tlmt it may devastate 

 whole meadows. Recently a Paralid, or snout moth, Crambus 

 vulgivagellus, Clem., which has been supposed to be innoxious, 

 did immense damage in Northern New York. The same 

 moth is seen each year in ^lichigan and other States, and 

 we do not know when it, or other species of the same genus, 

 may not come to any locality in our Northern States to the ruin- 

 ation of our meadows and pastures. Another moth, Nei)helodes 

 violens, Guenee, has had a history similar to that of the Cram- 

 bus, just mentioned. This moth I find while trapping moths by 

 sugar every year here in Lansing, sometimes in great numbers. 

 We cannot tell when it may come in devastating numbers in any 

 locality in the United States. It is probable that several species 

 of Elaters — spring beetles — the dreaded wire worms, are great 

 2)ests to our meadows. It is quite likely that they do far more 

 damage to grasses than is known or suspected. The same may 

 as truly be said of the army worm moth, and other species of the 

 Ileliopliila (Leucania). AVe note their ravages only when they 

 come in armies. Yet I notice tiiey are quite common every year, 

 and as they an not usually driven by force of numbers to leave 

 the meadow,; ".■■r other pasturage their blasting work, though not 

 inconsiderable, is unnoticed. Many species of grass-hoppers, 

 not mentioned in the above list — indeed nearly all of our locusts — 

 are at times more or less destructive to grasses, and like the cut 

 worms, wire worms, white grubs and army worms, work unper- 

 ceived. Only when they come in swarms, as they have the past 

 season (1875), do they attract attention. 



In the above list I have not included any of the Chlorops, or 

 Oscinis, but from the habits of the closely related Meromyza, as 

 wheat enemies, the abundance of the flies of these genera on 

 grass in summer, and the added fact that we often find the mag- 

 gots mining in the culms makes it jiossible that they do more or 

 less harm to our species of Graminea3. It has been thought that 



