WIEEWOEMS ATTACKING CEEEAL AND FOEAGE CEOPS. 9 



Rolling laud infested by this insect presents a patchy appearance, the sandy 

 knolls standing out distinct and bare, being overgrown later with weeds, par- 

 ticularly crab grass, briers, and morning-glory. 



The infestation seems, to be worst after a crop of cowpeas, but the 

 exact significance of this crop in relation to wireworm injury has yet to 

 be determined. Applications of barnyard manure and of wood ashes have had 

 no effect in checking this pest. On account of the susceptibility of the larvae 

 and pupae to exposure, plowing the soil in the heat of the sun would un- 

 doubtedly destroy many of the wireworms. The objection to this method, 

 however, would be that the planter is occupied with other farm operations at 

 that time, and also there would be difficulty in getting at these areas, which 

 are often scattered, irregular, and isolated. From the data thus far gathered 

 we can not say what effect fall plowing would have on this insect. Further 

 investigation, however, will in all probability give a clue to remedial measures. 



WIREWORMS OF THE GENUS CORYMBITES. 



In the literature of American economic entomology there is no ref- 

 erence to beetles of the genus Corymbites as pests to cereal and forage 

 crops. In the Pacific Northwest two species (C. inflatus Say and G. 

 noxious Hyslop) are among the worst pests to cereal crops. The 

 habits of the two species are quite distinct and will be treated sepa- 

 rately. The occurrence of Corymbites cylindriformis Hbst. in enor- 

 mous numbers in alfalfa and wheat fields about Hagerstown, Md., 

 this spring (1914), and the finding of Corymbites larva? in these 

 fields at various times, might indicate that the genus is represented 

 among the cereal and forage pests in this region also. 



In Europe the habits of several species of this genus have been 

 recorded by Schiodte and Perris. G. pectinicornis L., C. castaneus 

 L., and G. sjlandicus Mull, are found living in woody meadows and 

 C. mneus Fal. is found in fields. 1 



C . latus Fab. is recorded 2 as living " in the ground like other insect 

 larvse, feeding on roots * * *. They cause great damage to car- 

 nations in flower gardens." Following is a note by Mr. Pergande 

 from the Bureau of Entomology files : 3 " Elaterid larva in apple tree, 

 received from B. C. Hawkins, Horse Cove, Macon County, N. C. A 

 larva of an elaterid found in a boring in trunk of apple with a dead 

 larva of Saperda bivittata." 



This note, though the correctness of the determination of the wire- 

 worm is not certain, is interesting, inasmuch as it seems to indicate 

 that some species of Elateridse now classified as Corymbites are 



1 Schiodte, J. C. De metamorphosi eleutheratorum observationes, pt. 5, p. 520-522, pi. 

 8, fig. 9-10, pi. 10, fig. 4, 1871. 



2 Perris, Edouard. Larves des Coleopteres, p. 179. Paris, 1877. " Cette larve vit dans 

 la terree soit d'autres larves ou insectes, soit de racines. M. de Bonvouloir, en m'en en- 

 voyant des echantillons, me l'a signalee comme causant de grands degats aux ceillets de 

 son parterre." 



3 IT. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Ent., Notes, v. 8. No. 6187, Apr. 3, 1894. 



61121°— Bull. 156—15 2 



