32 
cultivating and raking would be buried so deeply under the ground 
by the spring plowing that the\ T would not be able to effect their 
escape. 
THE CARROT BEETLE. 
{Ligyrus gibbosus Dej.) 
A very common beetle along the Atlantic coast from Long Island to 
the Gulf States, and at many points inland, has been reported as the 
cause of injury to carrots and other root crops, and to some other plants. 
It first attracted attention from its injury to sunflower and has been 
given the name of sunflower beetle; but as its record shows it to be the 
worst insect enemy to carrot and parsnip known in the United States 
at present, the name of carrot beetle is suggested as more appropriate. 
It is somewhat of a general feeder, and, as we learn more of its habits, 
we will doubtless find that it will, on occasion, attack many other plants 
than those which will be specified. 
During the year 1900 it was destructive to corn in Louisiana and 
Mississippi, and the following year to sunflower in Illinois and to root 
crops in Indiana. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The beetle (fig. 7). — From three other species of Ligyrus, gibbosus 
can be distinguished without much difficulty. It is of robust form, 
like ruginasus, the Pacific coast form, and relictus, but from both 
it may be known by its much smaller size. It 
\j 4Hi*L if measures between one-half and five-eights of an 
ijSlililt mcn m length, and its width is more than half 
the length. The surface of the elytra is strongl} T 
sculptured and coarsely punctate, characters 
which will distinguish this genus from Lachnos- 
terna. The color varies from reddish brown to 
nearly black on the dorsal surface. The lower 
t^lSlBP^ / surface is reddish brown, and the legs, which are 
I still brighter colored, are clothed with reddish- 
Fio. i.-Ligyrm gibboms.- yellow hairs. The remaining species, rugiceps, 
beetle— about twice nat- i s restricted to the South, and is narrower than 
the others, with a different facies. 
The species may further be distinguished from ruginasus (with which 
it agrees in having the thorax impressed in front, and with a small 
tubercle, and in having the anterior tibiae tridentate) b} T the structure 
of the elypeus which is bidentate or two-toothed, the clypeus in rugi- 
nasus being unidentate or single-toothed. 
The egg is of the usual scarabaeid appearance, when recently laid 
measuring 1.70 mm in length and 1.45 mm in diameter, but when ready to 
hatch the length is about 2.30 mm and the diameter i>.20 mm . In almost 
every respect the egg is a counterpart of that of Lachnosterna, which 
