26 
CORN AND GRASS. 
while the weather is not too cold, hut when winter appears they move 
downwards towards the ground, some of them at least entering the 
soil and feeding upon the sap of the roots ; at any rate I find the 
apterous ones at this time working upon the roots, hut at the same 
time I find a winged individual above ground. I have also observed 
them heretofore at the root of the Wheat late in the winter, while 
snow was on the ground, and what somewhat surprised me, I found 
them busy at work under the snow, and the apterous (wingless) females 
bearing well-formed larvae. I am therefore led to believe that in 
this latitude the species passes the winter in other than the egg state. 
This will also probably be found true wherever winter Wheat is 
grown.”* 
It is also stated by Dr. A. Fitch, the well-known Economic 
Entomologist, that ‘‘this species is an exception to the ordinary 
generation of Aphides in that it deposits no egg in the autumn, but 
hybernates beneath the snow.”t 
Now, if we turn to German observations, we find that this Aphis 
attacks Eye, three kinds of Wild Oat grass (Arena), two kinds of 
Brome grass, the Wild Barley grass, which is a most common weed by 
dry roadsides, Cocksfoot grass, the Soft Grass ( Holcus ), and Meadow 
Grass (Poa) ; in short it is known from the above or other observations 
to frequent all the common corn crops and many of the wild and culti¬ 
vated grasses. 
Looking at these points, and at the creatures having been found to 
winter on or at the roots of their food-plants, it appears together to 
account for—or at least suggest very strongly—why Corn Aphides 
should occur on Wheat after Clover layer, as they would be very likely 
to be sheltering amongst lumps of grass, and not be destroyed when 
the ley was broken up. 
The habit of sheltering in wild grasses would quite account also 
for the appearance of the insect in spring or early summer on corn 
growing near such shelters. 
It does not appear that when the Aphis is carrying on its attack in 
the early stage of the Wheat to the leaves or stems, and afterwards to 
the ears, any remedy can be brought to bear; but, as a means of pre¬ 
vention, probably treatment in breaking up of ley, dressings of lime, 
gas-lime, lime and salt, brushing, burning rubbish, &c., which are 
advised to clear these fruitful headquarters of our worst pests, such as 
Wireworm and Daddy Longlegs grub, would be very successful in 
clearing Aphides from the land before the next crop. 
The various Aphides have very little power of removing them- 
* ‘ Third Annual Report on Noxious and Beneficial Insects of the State of 
llinois,’ by Dr. C. Thomas, pp. 53, 54. 
t ‘ Trans, of New York State Agricultural Society,’ xxii., 1863. 
