Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-06
Farm and Household.


mers IN New England who have not often
seen In the spring OF the year, when plough
ing or cultivating their fields for planting or
sowing, a clumsy looking beetle, or, as many
would call it Dug nearly the color Of a
chestnut, about Of al inch long, and half ms
wide ~ long, with set Of legs which don't
let 60 very easily when handled, or when at
tached TO ones garments. There may he por-
tons Of New England where these beetles are
unknown, or so rare US to escape notice il SO,
the white worm with a red hend referred
10 by IA correspondent, ought also TO be un-
known, for they are one and the same insect,
ns much as is a heifer and COW the same an
imal. only at different ages. These dumpish
looking beetles, if not destroyed by the tread
ing Of teams or the abrasion Of ploughs and
harrows in use on the field will, il a few
weeks. emerge from the ground some warm
evening. and. spreading their wings which lie
folded under their hard wing covers take to
the air as lively and about as noisily as a
swarm Of bees. In every warm, pleasant eve
ming during the latter part of May and early
June one may hear these insects flying among
the leaves Of the cultivated cherry trees
They are. also. fond Of the leaves Of the white
birch, and probably many other trees both Of
the orchard and the forests. Attracted by the
lights in our dwellings they frequently come
tumbling against the windows with consider
able force and noise. and, on account Of this
habit, has grown up the common saying
blind ms n beetle The insect is now in
its perfect state and after pairing the female
lays her eggs singly, as is affirmed 10y ento-
biologists, near or on the surface Of cultivat-
ed fields, where the young grubs are Matched
out, and Immediately commence feeding upon
the roots Of plants. They are supposed to
live in the ground in the grub state, two
years, and are so small the first season that
their depredations are seldom noticed but
the second or last year before their transfer
mation to the perfect beetle, they sometimes
do great amount of damage. Fields Of corn
and other grain are often seriously injured by
them, sometimes SO many Of the roots being
eaten of that the plants are pulled up Is the
scythe or corn knife, there being no roots left
10 hold the plants in the ground Potatoes
are eaten and sometimes almost wholly con-
sumed, leaving nothing but thin shell. But
it is in grass land that they do the greatest
amount of damage, especially in dry seasons
when the grass is so much checked in its
growth that new roots are not produced as
fast as the old ones are eaten of by the grubs
Pastures are less subject TO injury from
this pest than moving fields, partly, perhaps,
because the parent insects are wise enough to
select safer situations and more productive
fields for the home of their progeny, and
partly because many must be destroyed by
the trending of cattle, while feeding. They
were very numerous the past summer in many
portions of New England, and were observed
by hundreds Of farmers for the first time.
They are not an army worm in any sense, as
many suppose, us they move but a short dis
lance from their place Of birth. They are a
sluggish grub and can bear but little rough
treatment. The hot sun viii destroy them in
u very short time, and they are very easily
crushed.
1t has been recommended to pass heavy
roller over fields infested by them. This
would, undoubtedly destroy portion. Ere
quent cultivation of the soil will kill many.
Flowing late in the fall, just before the ground
freezes, is also recommended, as the cold may
overtake them before they can get under GOV
er again, but this will destroy but few, a.
most of tAem have already at that time gone
below the reach of ordinary ploughing, and
are passing into the pupa state, from which
they will come forth perfect insects in the
following spring.
We know of nothing better than frequent
cultivation for keeping this species OF grul
in check They do most damage on moving
fields Of several years standing, and wher,
they can feed and grow with the least dis
turbance. The army worm travels in the day
time and above ground, and feeds upon vcge
tutiun above the surface, while the grub o
this dor beetle, May bug, June bug, cock
chafers, leaf-chafers, and. perhaps, othe
names, feeds only upon roots beneath tn,
surface. There ure other grubs very mucl
resembling this some of which are entirely
different in their habits and tastes. The grub
of the goldsmith beetle sometimes destro,
strawberry plants 10y eating off the roots jus
below the crown, but they are not often nu
mcrous enough to attract much notice.
Another grub is found in cultivated field
and gardens highly MANFRED with coarse un
rotted stable dung The eggs of this insec
are laid in manure and in rotten wood saw
dust and similar substances, upon which tn
young feed for few weeks, growing YER
rapidly al the time. They are found nearl,
grown in early summer, but they never Gu
potatoes or roots of any kinds although FIRE
quently charged with such damage. Man,
people believe that sawdust used in stable
breeds worms that are injurious to plants, es
pecially potatoes and corn, but SO far AS on
observation goes, this is not true. This rot
ten wood and manure eating grub is the Liz
yylts 1eljot1s, or, as Prof Riley calls it in tn
n. Y. Tribune false May beetle and he say
of it il reply to an inquiry from a Massachu
sets correspondent -
This insect is attracted to manure heaps
rotting leaves, etc, in and under which tn
eggs are laid The larva also much resemble
the true white grub, and il is no wonder tina
the two often get COMPOUNDED This LiQyrU
is the insect our Massachusetts friend la
been dealing with and in destroying its egg
he simply diminishes the numbers of u com
paratiYely harmless species. As indicated b
the fact that they belong to different fami
lies, there are important structural difference
between these two insects, but those most ca
silly observed are, first, the black color of Lg
yrus, compared 10 the brown of the true Ma
beetle; second, its more polished surface
third, its somewhat larger average size an
greater robustness fourth, its stouter an
shorter legs. Ito larva lives but one year, an
is somewhat clumsier and heavier behind an
more soft and blush than the true white grub
its head is also somewhat darker
Laolhosterna t,lsoa is the technical nam
Of the common May beetle or dor bug, and u
they are attracted toward fires at night, the
mny be taken in great numbers by suspend
ing burning lanterns over tubs Of water Q
barrels coated upon the inside with tai
There are hundreds Of other insects whic
may be caught in this way, the principal oil
lection being that many insects which al
friends TO the farmer, will also be destroyed
Farmers should have better knowledge