. Insect transformations . s and pastures, unless in fields recentlylaid down with grass. The wire worm, saysSpence, is particularly destructive for a few years * Sec the llarleian Dairy System, p. See Londons Encycl. of Agricult. § Act. Holm. 1779, p. 284. § Kirby and Spence, i, ri. 20 230 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. in gardens recently converted from pasture the botanic garden at Hull, thus circumstanced, agreat proportion of the annuals sown in 1813 weredestroyed by it. A very simple and effectual remedy,in such cases, was mentioned to me by Sir JosephBanks. He r
. Insect transformations . s and pastures, unless in fields recentlylaid down with grass. The wire worm, saysSpence, is particularly destructive for a few years * Sec the llarleian Dairy System, p. See Londons Encycl. of Agricult. § Act. Holm. 1779, p. 284. § Kirby and Spence, i, ri. 20 230 INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. in gardens recently converted from pasture the botanic garden at Hull, thus circumstanced, agreat proportion of the annuals sown in 1813 weredestroyed by it. A very simple and effectual remedy,in such cases, was mentioned to me by Sir JosephBanks. He recommended that slices of potatoesstuck upon skewers, should be buried near the seedssown, examined every dav, and the wire-worms,which collect upon them in great numbers, de-troyed.* The wire worm is long, slender, and very toughand hard ; but otherwise it has no resemblance towire, being whitish in colour, of a flattish form, andjointed or ringed. Its breathing spiracles, two innumber, are on the back of its last An insect of this family {Elafer nodilucus, Linn,)is exceedingly destructive, in the West Indies, to thesuorar-cane; the grub, according to Humboldt andBonpland, feeding on its roots and killing Instances are by no means rare, however, of in-sects being accused of depredations of which they arenot guilty, from the mere circumstance of their being * Intr. i, 18--3. I (leog. des Plantes, 136. RAVAGES OF GRUBS. 231 found in abundance where ravages have been com-mitted by others that have naturally disappeared Itis not improbable that this was tiie case with a grubof some beetle {Slaplujlinida f), mentioned byJNIr Wallbrd, and mistaken by him tor tiie wireworm Out of lilty acres of wheat sown in 1802,ten had been destroyed in October, by this grubeating into the centre of the young stem an inchbelow the surlace and killing the plant.* It seemsstill more probable that tlie grul) of a native beetle{Zabrtis <2;ibbus, Stepiiess), which has been foundi
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