34 
smaller than the rest on the posterior division, and reduced to 
a fine impressed line on the anterior division, on which the inner 
pair of sulci are lacking. The outer pair are lateral, and nar¬ 
rower, except on the middle division, where they contain the 
concolorous spiracles. On the middle portion of each segment 
beneath, in the pair of sulci next to the median one, is a pair 
of plicated oblong prominences used in crawling. The ninth 
segment is two fifths longer than the eighth, ana the climbing 
hooks which accompany the prolegs are quite prominent. This 
segment ends in a rounded lobe-like projection clothed with long 
hairs. 
Drasterius elegans, Fabr. 
(Plate V., Fig. 1-3.) 
This wireworm, the smallest of the species infesting corn, was 
reported as exceedingly abundant and injurious to young wheat 
in Indiana in 1889.* The first mention of it as an insect injuri¬ 
ous to corn which has come to my notice, is contained in the 
Report of the United Stales Entomologist for 1887, p. 151, in 
the nature of a note by Mr. Webster to the effect that he had 
twice surprised larvrn of Drasterius, supposed to belong to this 
species, with their heads inserted in the stems of young corn. 
Mr. Win. H. Ashmead also reports! that the corn fields of cer¬ 
tain counties of Maryland were found to be badly infested by 
two insect larvae, one of which he considered as possiblv that of 
D. elegans. 
It was first found by me in corn fields August 18, 1882, at 
Elmira, Illinois, in the course of a field studv on the corn root 
worm (Diabrotica longicornis ). It was taken again from the 
roots of young corn at Normal, Illinois, June 17, 1884, and also 
in Champaign county June 11 of the following year, and June 5, 
16, and 29, 1886. June 26 of the last year it was collected 
from growing corn at Cairo, Illinois, where it was associated 
with great numbers of another and more injurious wireworm 
(Cardiophorus). An individual was seen May 16, 1887, at Cham¬ 
paign, Illinois, among the roots of corn, eating a kernel of 
sprouting corn; and another was taken a few days later among 
the roots of corn, following sod, in such connection with an injured 
kernel as to leave little doubt that it had been eating it. It 
occurred again in corn-field collections from the earth, made at 
Champaign May 29 of that year, and in others made June 20, 
1888. The extent and amount of its injuries are as yet unknown, 
the data collected serving merely to show' its presence and in¬ 
jurious habits in corn fields following grass. 
This is the smallest of the wireworms, measuring when full 
grown less than half an inch in length. It was first identified 
by breeding by Comstock and Slingerland in 1891, as reported 
in their Bulletin 33 of the Cornell University Agricultural Ex¬ 
periment Station, published in 1891. 
* F. M. Webster in Bull. 22, Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 52. 
+ “Insect Life,” Vol. Ill (1890), p. 54. 
