10 
The Bulletin 
In the writer’s experience, this insect is almost universally present 
in the eastern part of its range. In the western part of its range, 
however, it is confined to the low swampy situations along streams. 
This would indicate very strongly that the insect is very dependent 
upon soil with a great amount of water for its best development. 
In the western part of its range it may be as abundant on cyperus as 
in similar situations in the eastern part of its range, and although corn 
is frequently planted in close proximity to such low swamps, the corn 
bill bug does not, so far as our observations go, turn its attentions from 
the cyperus to the corn. 
DESTRUCTIVENESS 
Probably no corn insect causes as great loss both directly and indi¬ 
rectly in the eastern part of this State as the corn bill bug. Complete 
destruction of entire fields is not only frequent, but common. Farmers 
frequently replant such fields in the hope of getting a stand, but it is 
not at all unusual for the third and often for the fourth planting to be 
so badly injured as to cause the farmer to abandon the field entirely. 
Figure 2. Map of North, Carolina showing the distribution of the Southern Corn Bill Bug. 
Dots show actual records. Shaded portion approximate distribution. Doubly shaded 
portion area of greatest destruction. 
As swamps are drained and put under cultivation the usual practice 
is to farm to corn for the first few years. The corn bill bug, driven 
from its natural food plant, turns its attention to the corn, and does 
so much damage that the growing of corn under such conditions is 
rendered entirely without profit. 
A general conception of the appearance of such fields may be gathered 
from an examination of Figs. 3 and 4. In really serious cases of 
damage from this insect practically every stalk will be destroyed or 
only a stalk here and there will escape destruction. In cases of milder 
amount of damage more stalks will escape destruction, but a great many 
stalks will be so badly deformed that they make no satisfactory growth 
