CLOVER STEM-BORER AS AN ALFALFA PEST. . i) 
Folsom (16), in his discussion of the effect upon clover, states: 
The chief effect of the stem borer is, however, 4a mechanical one. The stems that 
are hollowed out fall to the ground prematurely, though not until they have attained 
a considerable size. One can find the borers most abundantly in the large prostrate 
stems rather than in the stems that remain erect. The plants that lodge carry their 
flowers to the ground, become soiled with dirt, and are not easy to mow. 
Thus it is obvious that practically the same condition exists in 
the red-clover regions as in the alfalfa regions of the Southwest, only 
in the case of red clover the insect has never reached the excessive 
numbers that occur in the extensive alfalfa regions of the Southwest. 
This is doubtless due to the fact that only one generation annually 
is found in the former section of the country, while in the latter there 
are always three generations each year. When it is realized that 
this borer inhabits the whole of the United States, it can readily be 
seen that the annual toll taken by it from the farmers of this country 
runs into high figures. 
DESCRIPTION. 
THE ADULT. 
The beetle (fig. 1) is slender and has a shiny appearance. The 
head and thorax are a deep red, while the remainder of the insect is a 
bluish-black. The surface of the elytra 1 is indented 
by regular rows of punctures. The species was orig- 
inally named and briefly described by Latreille (1), 
but considerably later redescribed in detail by 
Crotch (7, p. 350), whose description is as follows: 
: Fic. 2.—Eggs of the 
Elongate, parallel, red, antennze (except the base) and apical clover stem-borer. 
half of the femora black, tibiz and tarsi brown, elytra bluish- 
green; head and thorax sparingly punctate, the latter elongate, the sides rounded in 
front, basal striolz short; scutellum red; elytra punctate striate, interstices impunc- 
tate; underside sparingly punctate, 2-3 last ventral segment black. L. .22-.31 inch. 
THE EGG. 
The egg (fig. 2) is a very small, light cream-yellow, bean-shaped 
object from 1.5 mm. to 2 mm. long and about 0.5 mm. in diameter. 
Folsom (16) described it as: 
Translucent cream-yellow, paler at each end, elliptico-cylindrical and slightly 
curving, with one end slightly more tapering than the other. 
The eggs that the authors have observed vary greatly in color, 
newly laid eggs being almost white or colorless, while fully incubated 
egos are a deep chrome-lemon color. 
THE LARVA. 
The larva (fig. 3) is exceptionally slender and is pale yellow in 
color. The very small and inconspicuous, although well-developed, 
feet, together with the quick wriggling movement of the larva in its 
burrow, give it much the appearance of a worm. 
