52 



Result five days later ; the worms' were alive and as active as they 

 ever were.. Corn slightly eaten, but none showing any indication of 

 growing, while kernels from same ear planted in unsalted^ soil were 

 sprouted. The corn used in all experiments was from the same ear. 



Drdsterius elegans Fab. 



The larva of this species has been mentioned in my previous reports 

 as destroying other insects, and themselves injuring young corn. In 

 the present instance they were found exceedingly abundant, on Novem- 

 ber 15, near New Castle, Ind., where they were evidently working seri, 

 ous injury to a field of young wheat, sown in growing corn about Sep- 

 tember 5. This field had produced three consecutive crops of wheat- 

 then the present crop of corn, among which the young wheat was grow- 

 ing. It was true the wheat was seriously infested by Hessian fly, and 

 therefore the questiou may arise as to whether the worms were not de- 

 stroying these; but the damage to the field was by far too great to 

 have been done by the fly alone, and many of the plants had been eaten 

 off below the ground. 



With this new revelation regarding their food habits, it seems prob- 

 able that a part of the wire-worm injuries to wheat sown among corn 

 may be due to this species, instead of the preceding. 



THE TWELVE-SPOTTED D1ABROTIGA. 

 (Didbrotica 12-jpunctata.) 



The adults of this species have been observed in greater abundance 

 than ever before. Gardens and fields have been literally overrun with 

 them. The sexes were observed pairing as early as the 17th of April, 

 thereby promising larvae sufficiently early to attack young corn, even 

 though planted at the usual time. The list of food plants has this sea- 

 son been observed to include the following, not previously reported : 

 Wheat, cabbage, cauliflower, and beans; an adult was also observed 

 feeding on volunteer oats December 14. 



THE SWAMP SPHENOPHORUS. 

 (Sjjihenojphorus ochreus Lee.) 



Few insects afford a better illustration of the fact that a comparatively 

 harmless species may, by force of circumstances, suddenly become ex- 

 tremely injurious. Known to the entomologist since 1858, and by no 

 means a rare insect, its habits unstudied because of its secluded haunts 

 and valueless food plant, the species appears to have been overtaken by 

 this progressive decade in agriculture. 



The swamp composing the field which formed the basis of the study 

 of this insect was broken up some thirty years ago and two crops of 

 corn raised on it without damage from insect attack, after which, by 

 reason of being too wet, it was allowed to revert back to its original 

 state. Fifteen years ago a second attempt was made to bring it into 

 cultivation, and a single crop of corn raised from a portion of it, this 

 time the insects being noticed, but doing no material injury. The land 



