April, ’18] McCOLLOCH: FALSE WIREWORMS, ELEODES 213 
that as far as he has been able to determine, species of this genus are 
neither injurious nor beneficial, unless the larvae are in some way 
troublesome. Riley (1884, p. 90) records the adult of E. quadricollis 
Esch. injuring the foliage of grapes in California. This species is said 
to have destroyed 35 acres of grape vines. Bruner (1892, p. 12) 
found E. tricostata injuring cabbages and other garden crops at Lin¬ 
coln, Nebraska. Swenk (1909, pp. 332-333) gives an account of the 
serious damage done to planted grain, especially wheat, by E. opaca 
in western Nebraska. Hyslop (1912, p. 75) states that the results of 
three years’ work demonstrate quite conclusively that the false wire- 
worms are among the most destructive insects to recently planted 
wheat and corn in the Pacific Northwest. E. pimeloides Mann, and 
E. letcheri vandykei are discussed especially in this regard. Webster 
(1912, p. 32) reports E. sulcipennis Mann, feeding on the larvae of 
alfalfa weevil and E. suturalis Say eating chinch bugs. Essig (1915, 
pp. 290-291) records the adult of E. omissa borealis Blaisd. as feeding 
on the leaves of apricot, orange, plum, and watermelon. Cooley (1916, 
p. 154) has found E. extricata var. convexicollis Blaisd. very abundant 
in Montana and in several instances seriously injuring newly sprouted 
grain. 
The above references comprise most of the known reports of the 
injuries by this genus. That more is not known concerning them is 
probably due to a number of factors. The larvae closely resemble the 
true wireworms and considerable confusion has resulted. Much in¬ 
jury attributed to wireworms, especially in the semi-arid regions, is 
probably due to the false wireworms. The larvae are subterranean in 
their habits and move with great rapidity through the soil, hence it is 
often impossible to find them at work. The adults are largely noctur¬ 
nal in their habits, and although they may be extremely numerous in 
a locality, they are seldom found without a diligent search. 
Economic Importance of Eleodes tricostata 
The data on the economic importance of E. tricostata are very meager. 
Wickham (1890, p. 86) states that it feeds on the roots of grasses, and 
Bruner (1892, p. 12) found it seriously injuring cabbages and other 
garden crops at Lincoln, Nebraska, and states that it was doing more 
damage than cutworms. He also says that it is a general feeder upon 
the prairies and on weeds in the field. Hunter, Pratt, and Mitchell 
(1912, p. 51) list E. tricostata among the insects incidentally associated 
with the cactus plant. 
In Kansas, tricostata appears to be confined almost entirely to the 
native pastures where the larvae feed on the roots of the various grasses 
occurring there. Practically all the adults and larvae collected in the 
