SOME MISCELLANEOUS RESULTS OF THE WORK OF THE 

 BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



VIII. 



THE SUGAR-CANE BEETLE. 



{Li gyrus rugiceps Lee.) 



[With notes on associated species.] 



By E. S. G. Titus. 



In 1880, in southern Louisiana, there occurred a serious outbreak of 

 the sugar-cane beetle, so disastrous in its effect on the sugar yield 

 that many planters gave up the growing of this crop and turned their 

 energies to rice cultivation. This was especially true along the Mis- 

 sissippi River north of New Orleans and at some points along the 

 Southern Pacific Railroad. 



From 1880 until the present time there have been many reports of 

 injury caused by this beetle (and some other closely related species) 

 to sugar cane, corn, and other crops. Throughout Louisiana, Missis- 

 sippi, and other Southern States, and even so far north as North 

 Carolina in the east and Iowa in the west, have come reports of a 

 beetle that " eats into the plant to the heart." The injury to corn 

 in the north is usually caused by Ligyrus gibhosus DeG., a species 

 very closely related to the sugar-cane beetle. The reports of injury to 

 sugar cane appear to be on the increase throughout tlie sugar-cane 

 growing States, doubtless partially owing to the fact that consider- 

 able new land is each year being opened for cultivation and also to 

 the fact that the planters are beginning to notice more closely when 

 they see their crops suddenly cut down. 



Under instructions from the entomologist, two trips were made by 

 the w^riter in 1904 to Louisiana to study the life history of this in- 

 sect — one in April and May and the other in the latter part of Octo- 

 ber, when the cane harvesting was in progress. 



An investigation of the 1880 outbreak was made by Dr. L. O. How- 

 ard in the spring of that year, his report being published as Special 

 Report No. 58 of the Department of Agriculture, and later appearing 

 in the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1880.* In this 

 report there is given a very complete account of the history of the 



a 1881: Rept. Coinin. Agrie. f. 1880, pp. 236-240. 

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