Dec. 15,1923 
Biology of Eleodes suturalis 
549 
suturalis as given by Say. These are as follows: Reddish brown along 
suture. Thorax with edge deeply concave in front, lateral margin 
dilated and reflected; anterior angles with a small escurved point. Elytra 
scabrous, grooved, lateral edge reflected, slightly elevated and acute. 
He also reviewed the salient type characters as given by Le Conte of 
E. suturalis var. texana. These are as follows: Thorax with the disk 
slightly convex, sides broadly depressed and slightly reflexed, sides 
greatly rounded, subsinuate behind; anterior angles acutely acuminate; 
basal angles rectangular. Elytra with dorsum plane, sides parallel and 
margined. He also placed emphasis on the more conspicuous diagnostic 
characters—the more or less reflexed elytral margins, with the pronotal 
margins acute and reflexed, and the concave disk. The variety texana 
differs in its elongate and parallel form, the typical species being less 
elongate and with the elytral margins distinctly arcuate. Gebien 
(9, p. 251) in 1910 enumerated references to taxonomic literature on both 
the typical form and the variety texana. 
A brief but able review of the economic importance of the genus 
Eleodes was given by McColloch (18) in 1918, in which he cited the 
existing principal records of injury and directed attention to the fact 
that very little has been recorded concerning this genus from an economic 
standpoint, because— 
It is only within recent years that the false wireworms have been recognized as pests 
of growing crops. 
Swenk (27, p. 336) in 1909, in discussing injury to growing crops in 
southwestern Nebraska by Eleodes opaca Say, directed attention to the 
presence of Eleodes suturalis in suspicious numbers with that species. 
Hyslop ( 14 , p. 74) in 1912 recorded the rearing of an adult of this species 
by Mr. Theo. Pergande from a larva injuring wheat in Saline County, 
Kans. This scarcity of information and lack of recognition as an eco¬ 
nomic pest is probably due to a number of causes. The larva bears con¬ 
siderable superficial resemblance to that of a true wireworm, of the 
family Elateridae, and it is likely that much damage to growing crops 
really caused by false wireworms has been reported as caused by lie true 
wireworms. Then, too, the subterranean habit and obscure work of the 
larva of this false wireworm render its presence unnoticed without close 
search. Also, the adult is seldom observed, for it does not often appear 
from beneath cover in open spots except late in the evening or early in 
the morning, as the light and heat of the day drive it to shelter. 
DISTRIBUTION 
Colorado: Canyons near Boulder, H. F. Wickham (3, p. 203 ); Denver, altitude 5,183 
feet, October, H. Soltau ( 3 , p. 203); Gillette, altitude 9,933 feet, H. F. Wickham (37, 
p. 294); Golden, altitude 5,693 feet, May, H. G. Dyar and A. N. Caudell (3, />. 203), 
September, H. F. Wickham; La Junta, altitude 4>°5 2 feet, H. F. Wickham (37, p. 
294); Berkeley, H. F. Wickham (37, p. 294); Orchard, altitude 4,403 feet, H. F. Wick¬ 
ham (37, p. 294); Limon, altitude 5,360 feet, September, H. F. Wickham; Sterling, 
altitude 3,932 feet, August, H. F. Wickham. 
Iowa: Lyon County, June, B. Shimek (38 , p. 33, 4); Sioux City, altitude 1,104 feet, 
August, H. F. Wickham; “Western Iowa,” T. H. Macbride (36, p. 60). 
Kansas: Argonia, altitude 1,242 feet, March to November, J. S. Wade; Augusta, 
altitude 1,214 feet, August, E. G. Kelly; Belleville, altitude 1,514 feet, July, W. E- 
Pennington; Colby, altitude 3,138 feet, August, J. S. Wade; Dodge City, altitude 
2,480 feet, June, V. King, August, J. S. Wade; Ellis, altitude 2,119 feet, August, J. S. 
Wade; Ellsworth, altitude 1,534 feet, April to October, E. G. Kelly; Garden City, 
altitude 2,829 feet, August, J. S. Wade; Harper, altitude 1,417 feet, June, J. S. Wade; 
Hays, altitude 1,999 feet, April, E. G. Kelly, July, H. E. Smith; Kingman, altitude 
