affecthu/ the Corn- Crops. 
503 
but the abovo-mentionetl farmer informed mo that he liad found 
them plentiful in a very open country. To me they appeared more 
injurious in the heavy than in the lirjlit lands. La^t year the 
bearded wlieat (called by our farmers clog-icJicat) escaped with 
the least injury; but this year, as far as my information and 
observation went, it was the most injured. I observed in one or 
two instances the Forficiila auricularia upon the ear ; and upon 
examining the grain, each time, to which it had applied itself, I 
found upon it tlie Thrips. Query: — Does it not devour them?" 
" The only method which can be serviceable to prevent the 
ravages of this insect is, to sow the wheat early. It is probable 
that it does considerable damage every year, as it is a very com- 
mon insect. Nor do I imagine that it has been more injurious 
than usual in the present yeai-, only the scarcity has excited 
people's attention to everything that miglit hurt the grain." 
We may just observe, that as the earwig is now well known 
to feed upon vegetable substances, it seems doubtful that it renders 
any service in reducing the numbers of the Thrips ; but as it is 
also rep/Orted to feed upon Aphides, this interesting question re- 
quires to be more fully investigated. The red dust which was 
supposed to be the excrement of this insect was no doubt the 
minute fungus called rust, &c.* At the period when the above 
letter was addressed to the Secretary of the Linnsean Society 
great scepticism seems to have existed as to the insects having 
injured the cro])s. In such matters we can often only draw our 
conclusions from analogy, and there can be no doubt froni the 
mischief which is done to the foliage of melons, cucumbers. See. 
by another species of Thrips f that the T. cerealium, called, it 
must be remembered, by Mr. Kirby T. physcqms, exhausts the 
juices of the wheat, and causes the grains to shrivel ; and probably 
the abortion of a portion may be traced to their puncturing the 
tender straw at the joints. 
It only remains to observe of this pest, that it is frequently 
attacked by parasites and other enemies, one of which is an 
Ocypete ; and Thrips cerealium is often covered with the small 
white mites that are found in damp hay.+ which feed upon the 
insect. 
Aphides or Plant-hce. 
The corn-crops do not escape the visitations of this extensive 
tribe ; indeed, what crop does ? We have already seen three 
species swarming upon the turnips, and another often destroys the 
fairest prospects of the hop-grower in a very sliort space of time. 
* Vide Prolessor Henslow's Report in the Journal of the Royal Agric. 
Soc., vol. ii. p. 9. 
t Gardener's Chronicle, vol. i. p. 228 — Thrips ochiaccus. 
X Ent. Mag., vol. iv. p, 144. 
