THE ROUGH-HEADED CORK STALK-BEETLE 31 



immediately behind the head. The few specimens observed by the 

 junior writer in tin salve boxes failed to give up adults. In the 

 field, however, he has found on several occasions the cocoons of what 

 he is inclined to think is the same form. These resemble in general 

 the cocoons of Tiphia and, like the latter, are characterized by having 

 the head shield of the host attached at one end. In a number of 

 cases the head shield of E. rugiceps has been found attached to these 

 cocoons, but adults were not reared from them. 



All stages of E. rugiceps, but more especially the larva and pupa, 

 are subject to infection by a fungus, specimens of which were identi- 

 fied by Dr. A. T. Speare, formerly of the Bureau of Entomology, as 

 Metarhizmm anisofliae, 



CONTROL MEASURES 



As has been shown, Euetheola rugiceps breeds mainly in low, 

 moist, poorly drained areas that have been allowed to remain as 

 waste or pasture lands for a considerable period of time. In fact 

 under normal conditions these are apparently the only places where 

 the pest breeds in sufficient numbers to constitute a menace to corn- 

 fields. Land that is kept in a high state of cultivation, with fre- 

 quent and systematic rotation of crops, furnishes an unfavorable 

 breeding ground for this beetle. Very few beetles reach maturity in 

 cultivated fields ; occasionally quite a number may be found breeding 

 in temporary pastures or hay fields. The numbers of beetles develop- 

 ing in such places, however, are insignificant compared with those 

 breeding in the normal habitat of the species. 



ELIMINATION OF WASTE LANDS AND OLD PASTURES 



Knowing these facts, by far the most important means of control 

 naturally suggests itself, namely, the elimination of all old waste 

 and pasture lands. All such lands should be thoroughly drained and 

 included in the regular system of rotation practiced for the re- 

 mainder of the farm. If it seems most desirable to retain these 

 lands for pasture, they should be broken up and reseeded every few 

 years. This would be advisable if only as a matter of good farming, 

 since in localities troubled with this pest pastures will become over- 

 grown with weeds of many kinds in a few years at the expense of 

 the more valuable grasses. The practices suggested will not only 

 destroy the chief breeding, grounds of the pest, but will make these 

 lowlands more productive and profitable. 



Such pasture lands when broken up should not b'e planted to 

 corn the first year. As no other cultivated crop is injured by 

 Euetheola rugiceps, some other crop can be substituted. The fol- 

 lowing year corn may be planted, as there is but a single generation 

 of the beetles a year. 



PASTURING WITH HOGS 



When old waste or pasture lands can not be drained conveniently 

 and included in the rotation, the probability of injury resulting from 

 the presence of these breeding grounds may be eliminated largely 

 by pasturing hogs on such land every year, at leasl during August, 

 and September. The hogs will root out the grubs industriously. 



