U. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 85, Part II. C. F. I. I., November 30, 1909. 



PAPERS ON CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS. 



THE SLENDER SEED-CORN GROUND-BEETLE. 



(Clivina impressifrons Lee.) 



By W. J. Phillips, 

 Agent and Expert. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Observations have been carried on for several years in the vicinity 

 of New Paris, Ohio, on an interesting little beetle known as the 

 " slender seed-corn ground-beetle" (Clivina impressifrons Lee). As 

 much new information has been secured regarding its early develop- 

 ment, and since it is probably responsible for some of the injuries 

 charged up to other insects, it has been thought advisable to make 

 it the subject of a short paper. As it works below ground, in the 

 kernels of corn, and confines itself to swampy, peaty soils, the farmer 

 is likely to believe that the seed fails to germinate and to attribute 

 the cause to excessive moisture, cool weather, and inferior seed, 

 never dreaming that this modest little creature is busily collecting his 

 toll, sometimes as many as fifteen or twenty individuals being found 

 in or about a single hill. 



The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Prof. F. M. 

 Webster, under whose direction this work was carried out. To the 

 patient and untiring efforts of Mr. V. L. Wildermuth we owe the 

 information herein presented concerning the habits of the larvae and 

 pupae. The writer, having previously planned the work, carried on 

 observations on the adults and their economic relations, and is re- 

 sponsible for the descriptive matter. Acknowledgments are due 

 Mr. Frederick Knab for helpful suggestions in the preparation of 

 descriptions. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The slender seed-corn ground-beetle belongs to a very large genus, 



there being over two hundred species, distributed throughout the 



entire world, with the exception of the extreme northern and southern 



latitudes. The genus as a whole is supposed to be carnivorous. The 



species under discussion is a native of the eastern United States and 



is the only one on record as being a plant feeder. Doctor Le Conte 



described the species in 1884 and gave New York as its habitat. 



Since that time it has been found in Canada, New Jersey, Ohio, 



Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. 



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