UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



1 BULLETIN No. 539 & 



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Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 

 L. O. HOWARD, Chief 



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Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER. 



September 8, 1917 



THE LESSER CORN STALK-BORER. 1 



By Philip Luginbill and Geo. G. Ainslie, Entomological Assistants, Cereal and 

 Forage Insect Investigations. 



CONTENTS. 



Tage. 



Introduction 1 



Economic history 2 



Systematic history and synonymy 3 



Geographical distribution 4 



Food plants 5 



Recent injuries 6 



Tage. 



Descriptions 8 



Seasonal history 12 



Rearing methods 23 



Natural enemies 24 



Methods of control 24 



Literature cited 25 



INTRODUCTION. 



Although the lesser corn stalk-borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus 

 Zell.) heretofore has occurred in injurious abundance only in sporadic 

 outbreaks, it now has become an insect of considerable economic 

 importance in the Southern States, since crops grown in the poorest 

 types of soils, or in soils lacking humus, are usually the most seriously 

 affected. The injuries to plants by larvae of this species sometimes 

 resemble closely those of certain beetle larvae commonly known as 

 "budworms" (Diabrotica 12-punctata Fab.) and it seems probable 

 that injuries frequently attributed to the latter are in reality the 

 work of the lesser corn stalk-borer. 



While engaged in other investigations early in the season of 1913 

 near Columbia, S. C, the senior author was informed by the authori- 

 ties superintending the State farm near that city that the lesser corn 

 stalk-borer was responsible for considerable damage to their field 

 crops almost every year. Investigations begun immediately were 

 continued through 1914 and 1915. The junior author, while engaged 

 in certain investigations in Florida during the winter of 1913-14, 

 encountered this same species in destructive numbers. 



The following paper, therefore, is a compilation of the results ob- 

 tained from studies made at Columbia, S. C, during the years 1913- 

 1915 by the senior author (27) 2 and at Lakeland, Fla., in 1913-1914, 

 by the junior author. 



a The authors wish to acknowledge the cooperation of A. H. Beyer and H. L. Dozier in field investiga- 

 tions. 

 2 Reference is made by number to "Literature cited," p. 25. 

 i "—Bull. 539—17 1 



