THE MAIZE BILLBUG. 15 



work in the root-stalks of corn. He had observed that the eggs 

 were deposited in the stalks, and that these serve for the winter 

 quarters of the adults; that the beetles began work when the corn 

 was about 4 or 5 inches high by inserting their beaks in the young 

 stalks just above ground. By taking hold of the center of the corn 

 and pulling it it came out, as it was nearly severed as from cutworm 

 attack. Stalks that had been preyed upon by the billbug did not 

 yield any amount of seed. No injury was observed to crops other 

 than corn. Injury was only in lowlands, and the principal damage 

 was accomplished before the woody outer shell of the stalk was 

 formed. The beetles were active chiefly after dark, when they trav- 

 eled, though slowly, from one place to another. They burrowed in 

 the ground during the day. They were described as " cleaning up 

 everything as they go, rendering the crop entirely worthless." Sep- 

 tember 17 another sending of larvae, pupae, and imagos were re- 

 ceived from the same source. Out of 100 stalks examined by our 

 correspondent only 10 were free from the ravages of this billbug. 

 At this date of writing the beetles were deserting the corn. 



In 1903 a report was received of injury by what was with little 

 doubt this species at Griffin, Ga., although no specimens were re- 

 ceived, as in all preceding instances cited. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



This insect has been reported, according to Chittenden, a from 

 Augusta, Kans. (E. L. Williams) ; Kiley County, Kans. (P. J. Par- 

 rott) ; Florence, Kans.; Dadeville, Ala. (S. M. Robertson); We- 

 tumpka, Ala. (F. S. Earle) ; Columbia, S. C. (L. O. Howard) ; 

 Ballentine, S. C. (J. Duncan) ; Texas (Ulke, 1 ex.) ; Michigan 

 (Knaus). It has also been reported from Texas (T. D. Urbahns), 

 and the writer found it at several points in Oklahoma and Kansas. 

 Owing to the fact that representatives of the species have been taken 

 in such Avidely separated localities, it is very probable that it occurs 

 over the entire territory between South Carolina and Texas and 

 northward to Kansas and Missouri. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



The adults attack young corn plants and probably some of the 

 coarser grasses. Dr. Howard, and later the writer, found both 

 adults and larvae feeding on young corn. Mr. Urbahns found 

 adults at base of swamp grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) in consider- 

 able numbers, and probably larvae and pupae of the species in this 

 same grass (fig. 8). Mr. Urbahns found several Sphenophorus larvae 



a Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol 7, No. 1, pp. 59-61, 1905. 



