16 DEPARTMENT BULLETIN 1267, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
its highest point probably not exceeding 4 feet above tide, from . 
which point it sloped gently toward the marsh. Most of the larvee 
of Luetheola rugiceps were found within a few yards of the marsh 
under growths of Paspalum laeve, the soil at that point being moist 
but not soggy. The soil and vegetation here were essentially similar 
to those in the Coghill pasture. 
Larve of Euetheola rugiceps were found ina number of other 
locations near Tappahannock and wherever found in numbers the 
locations were similar in all essential respects to the pastures pre- 
viously described. 
Besides occurring in what may be considered their normal habitat, 
larve have been found in locations that are not entirely typical. 
Such occurrences seem very localized and are restricted to areas near 
the normal breeding grounds. Also, larve seem rarely to reach 
maturity in well- cultivated fields. For example, in cornfields near 
old breeding grounds, and in which the corn was practically de- 
stroyed, very few full-grown. larve could be found. 
The junior writer carefully examined 
a hay field for larvee, the sod consisting 
chiefly of timothy, clover, and Bermuda. 
grass. This field was near the Coghill 
pasture and had been in sod only three 
or four years. Across one end, in an 
area about 20 feet square, a large number 
of larve of Huetheola rugiceps were 
found, while elsewhere in the field the 
3 larve appeared very scarce. There seems 
Fic. 4.Ventral view of head re- to be no satisfactory explanation of this 
gion of pupa of Huetheola rugi- ~; 
ceps, Showing structure of mouth singular occurrence at present. The field 
om oes by sT"Baine) just mentioned was planted to corn the 
following year and there was consider- 
able injury from /. rugiceps, the greater part of the injury being in 
the vicinity of the spot where the larve were so plentiful the pre- 
ceding year. This does not prove conclusively, however, that a good 
part of the injury was not due to migrating beetles from the old 
yasture. 
: The soil in the timothy sod of the field just mentioned was a fine, 
rather sandy loam. Fine sandy loams appear to constitute the 
dominant types throughout most of the region bordering the Rappa- 
hannock River. These soils apparently harbor Euetheola TUgiCeps 
only in the poorly drained areas that have become overgrown with 
wild grasses. In the opinion of the writers thorough “cultivation 
combined with good drainage will eliminate Z’. rwgiceps as a corn 
pest in such localities. 
PREPUPA 
In the beginning of the prepupa stage the larva ceases to feed and 
becomes relativ ely" quiescent, the power of movement being retained 
only within the posterior half, which is capable of being bent forward 
beneath the thorax and then straightened out again. This movement 
may be repeated a number of times in rapid succession and is doubt- 
less of use in assisting the creature to enlarge the cavity or cell in 
which the pupa stage is passed, as well as in splitting the larval 
integument and thereby freeing the inclosed puna. During the pre- 
4 
