Report of the State Entomologist. 



203 



In consideration of the above authorities and circumstantial state- 

 ments, we are compelled to admit that the Megilla does, occasionally 

 at least, become injurious to corn. It is known to occur in great 

 abundance, at times. I have seen it during the month of August col- 

 lected by hundreds around the base of some honey-locusts {Gleditschia 

 triacanthos), between the trunk and ground, at Middleburgh, N. Y. 

 It has also been reported as found " Ijang in piles under the leaves 

 and grass about the roots of apple trees, and always upon the south 

 side of the tree." {American Entomologist, i, 1869, page 186.) 



Its Injuries to Corn not of Frequent Occurrence. 

 At times of such abundance as above, it may be driven for sus- 

 tenance to other than its ordinary food. Should this prove to be the 

 explanation of its occasional foray upon our cornfields, we should not 

 find fault with it, if by way of dessert it should indulge moderately in 

 corn-in-the-milk, after all the substantial viands of its accustomed bill 

 of fare, as plant-lice, chinch-bugs and Colorado jDOtato-beetles in the 

 egg, have been consumed. The vast amount of service that it renders 

 us entitles it to all the praise that we have hitherto bestowed upon it, 

 and all the protection that we have endeavored to extend to it previ- 

 ously to the discovery of this one bad trait in its perhaps otherwise 

 faultless habits. 



The Beetle Described. 



That similar attacks upon corn by this insect may be recognized 

 and reported, the following 

 description of it is given, 

 together with an enlarged 

 representation of it and of 

 its earher stages : 



The beetle is one-fourth 

 of an inch long, more 

 elongate-oval than the lady- 

 bugs usually are, and of a 

 peculiar red color, often 

 called pink. The head is 

 black, with the exception 

 of a median red line. More ^^^^^ 

 than half the area of the ^^%f~~ 

 thorax is occujDied by two Q^ ^ 



pyriform black spots, nar- 

 rowed behind. On the Fig. 34.— Megilla maculata: a, tarsus; &, antenna; 

 wing-covers are ten black ^' larva; c, pupa— all enlarged. (After Emmons.) 



spots, of which the three anterior ones are in line, followed by two 



