169 
iod of Scelodonta to the end of the transformations of Paria being 
ut two months while the active larval life of the various species 
Pds over about seven months. This is a matter of importance 
1 respect to remedial measures. 
INJURIES TO VEGETATION. 
•y adults—Colaspis brunnea is reported by Prof. Riley to feed as 
adult at first upon the strawberry leaves, and later upon the 
7 e JL°/ § ia pes, both tame and wild. It has also been found bv 
Webster feeding upon the blossoms of clover and willow and 
n its frequent occurrence in collections variously distributed, it 
irobably not closely limited to any small variety of food plants, 
cultivated vegetation, however, its only appreciable injuries are 
> e done m the strawberry field and the vineyard. 
aria is likewise a somewhat general feeder, certainly devour- 
strawberry leaves often to an extent to make it a serious pest 
also, occasionally at least, eating the leaves of the raspberry* 
,ct noticed by me this summer. It also doubtless eats those of the 
per, upon which it is very commonly found, and of the wild 
> apple. By Dr. hitch this beetle was reported as abundant 
ea h es cinquefoil or Potentilla. Considering its general 
nbution throughout the period of its activity in the'adult stage 
1 quite likely that it feeds upon a very considerable variety of 
its. 
Respecting the food habits of Scelodonta, our information is less 
piete. Experiments made at the Laboratory with beetles bred 
i the root-worm, as reported on a previous page, show, at least, 
, it will feed freely upon the strawberry in confinement; and its 
mence in strawberry fields at other times than its breeding sea- 
makes it likely that it voluntarily resorts to them for food. It 
seems to have a special preference for the evening primrose 
■Ji/iera biennis, upon which it is said to be most frequently found 
ollectors. In July of this year it occurred occasionally near straw- 
y fields, upon heads of millet. 
ie above memoranda respecting the food habits of these various 
ies, may be generalized in a word by saying that while their 
preference seems to be for the foliage of the strawberry they 
not by any means limited to this plant, but can probably find 
m almost any situation where foliage and bloom are in suitable 
ltion. 
’/ larva.—The destructiveness of these lame to the roots and 
.ns of strawberries, has already been sufficiently asserted • and 
have not a particle of information to the effect that in this 
3 these insects are capable of living upon any other plants 
jever. bull the difficulty of proving a negative is proverbial 
no search for them in other situations has been made sufficient 
arrant us in saying that the larvae develop only in the straw- 
7 plant. 
3 re the mischief done by them is certainly greater than that to 
ttnbuted to the better known crown-borer, the beetles being not 
more numerous, at least in Southern Illinois, but also making 
rently a more destructive attack upon the plant. 
—12 
