BULLETIN OF THE 



MPMIIOFAffldllll 



No. 221 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howard, Chief 

 June 16, 1915. 



(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 



THE SOUTHERN CORN LEAF-BEETLE. 1 



By E. 0. G. Kelly, 

 Entomological Assistant, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



History 2 



Distribution 3 



Description and life-history notes 3 



Crops damaged. . 

 Dissemination... 



Remedies 



Literature cited . 



\ , . i 'V /, 



INTRODUCTION. 



The southern corn leaf -beetle (Myochrous denticollis Say) has 

 become a pest of considerable importance during the last few years 

 and has commanded the attention of entomologists on several occa- 

 sions. Although the habits 

 of this beetle are not fully 

 known, it seems advisable 

 to publish the known facts 

 and suggest possible rem- 

 edies. 



The writer's attention 

 was first called to the de- 

 structive habits of these 

 beetles in the summer of 

 1905, while investigating 

 insects injurious to corn in 

 southern Illinois. At that 

 time numbers of adults were found feeding on grains of roasting ears 

 in cornfields in the bottom lands of the Ohio River. Since being 

 located by the Bureau of Entomology in southern Kansas the writer 

 has watched this little beetle and as occasion offered made close 

 investigation of its habits and fife history. The occurrence of 



1 Myochrous denticollis Say; order Coleoptera, family Chrysomelidffi. 

 -Note. — This bulletin is of especial interest to entomologists in the southern half of the United States. 

 87709°— Bull. 221—15 



Fig. 1. — Map showing distribution of the southern corn 

 leaf-beetle (Myochrous denticollis) in the United States. 

 (Original.) 



