138 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



THE LARVA. 



The newly hatched larva resembles the older larva m shape and 

 ■color but is much smaller, bemg almost microscopic in size. They- 

 feed on the fine rootlets and in a soft soil are perfectly at home, get- 

 ting about slowly but with ease. 



The older larva is a conspicuous object against a back ground of 

 dark soil being itself almost white in color with a yellowsh head. 

 See figure 6, plate I and figure i, plate II. 



We have nothing to indicate to us definitely the duration of the 

 larval stage. 



THE PUPA. 



When full-fed and ready to pupate, the larva constructs an oblong 

 cell in the soil and casting its skin becomes a pupa. See plate I, 

 figure 5. In this cell the helpless pupa remains until the adult stage 

 is reached. 



The pupa is almost pure wdiite, very soft and delicate, and shows 

 distinctly the various parts which in adult life will be known as 

 legs, antennae, beak, wings, etc. It is noticeable that the wing-sacs 

 are separate along the line of the back, while in transforming 

 to the adult stage they become fused forming one piece. 



NUMBER OF BROODS AND HIBERNATION. 



We can state definitely that the winter is passed both in the adult 

 stage and as larvae. It may be also that some individuals pass 

 the winter as pupae. As early as August the beetles begin to show 

 a tendency to come together to go into hibernation quarters and yet 

 in the fall and spring larvae may be found in the soil. The dif- 

 ferent stages so everlap each other that one can find eggs, larvae, 

 pupae and aduks all at the same time and this condition leads to 

 much confusion in an attempt to determine the number of broods, 

 We can give but little evidence as to the number though we hold 

 the opinion that there is but one brood each year. 



