Page:VCH Cornwall 1.djvu/249

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INSECTS SCARABAEIDAE (continued) Rhizotrogus ochraceus, Knoch. Taken by Lamb on the north coast of Cornwall in 1902 and again in 1903. Previous to that time it had been represented in British collections only by two or three specimens. Melolontha vulgaris, F. The common cockchafer is a serious farm and garden pest throughout the county in the larval stage, attacking more especially spring corn, grass and strawberries, but occasionally doing mischief to swedes, mangels, potatoes, kitchen garden produce and herbaceous borders. By re- moving the bark in patches the insect itself does damage at times to young trees, but more especially to larch, spruce, and Pints insignis Phyllopertha horticola, L. In the larval stage this insect is des- tructive to grass, dredge corn, and young seeds, particularly in the middle of the county, and the mature insect does frequent damage to the leaf- age of fruit trees and to roses. A few years ago a long vel- vety-black grub was found in the school gardens attacking the larva of P. horticola just behind the head and steadily devouring it. By good for- tune the grub was hatched out in a breeding cage and proved to be Telephorus bicolor. S. Anomala frischii, F. Two speci- mens taken between Perran- forth and Netvquay ; reported from Looe Cetonia aurata, L. Fairly fre- quent on high land near the sea in the Land's End and Lizard peninsula ; St. Mary's, Stilly BUPRESTIDAE Aphanisticus pusillus, Ol. Re- ported by Thomas from Looe THROSCIDAE Throscus dermestoides, L. ELATERIDAE Lacon murinus, L. Cryptohypnus riparius, F. quadripustulatus, F. On the right bank of the Fowcy about half a mile above Lostwithiel ELATERIDAE (continued) Elater balteatus, L. Athous niger, L. longicollis, OI. Camelford ; Penzance haemorrhoidalis, F. Did serious damage to the oats of the Penzance district in 1902 vittatus, F. Limonius cylindricus, Payk. minutus, L. Sericosomus brunneus, L. Very scarce in the Land's End district Adrastus limbatus, F. Agriotes sputator, L. S. obscurus, L. lineatus, L. S. sobrinus, Kies pallidulus, 111. S. The larvae of Agriotes sputator, A. obscurus, and A. lineatus, collec- tively known as the wireworm, do an enormous amount of damage annually in every district, but especially about Liskcard. These hard, smooth, tough, shining, red- dish or yellowish-brown, slender cylindrical larvae are by far the most destructive pests in the county both on field and on garden produce and there is practically no crop that escapes their attention. The long- period grass leys that are much in favour throughout the county are in part responsible for the preva- lence of this insect. Firming the land usually limits the extent of its depredations, but there is no general effective remedy. Many birds, however, including the star- ling, rook, and various gulls, devour the wireworm in large numbers, and special means can be occasion- ally devised for giving them an opportunity of clearing the land of this disastrous pest Dolopius marginatus, L. Corymbites cupreus, F. Taken in 1902 by E. C. H. Davies, near Padstovi, and by A. G. Peter, near Launceston tessellatus, F. quercus, Gyll. holosericeus, F. Altarnun ; on the moors above Liskeard ; St. Mary's, Scilly aeneus, L. Altarnun ; Camel- ford Campylus lineans, L. DASCILLIDAE Dascillus cervinus, L. Helodes minuta, L. marginata, F. 197 DASCILLIDAE (continued) Microcara livida, F. Cyphon coarctatus, Payk. nitidulus, Thorns. variabilis, Thunb. S. pallidulus, Boh. padi, L. Penzance district (Marquand). Scirtes hemisphaericus, L. Marshy ground, Dotvndtrry (Keys) ; Bishop's Wood, Truro MALACODERMIDAE Lampyris noctiluca, L. Podabrus alpinus, Payk. Telephorus rusticus, Fall. lividus, L. pellucidus, F. nigricans, Mull. bicolor, F. oralis, Germ. flavilabris, Fall. Rhagonycha unicolor, Curt. Scarce in the valley of the Lynher; Marazion fulva, Scop. testacea, L. limbata, Thorns. - pallida, F. Malthinus punctatus, Fourc. fasciatus, Ol. balteatus, SufF. frontalis, Marsh. Malthodes marginatus, Latr. - dispar, Germ. minimus, L. atomus, Thorns. Millook. Malachius aeneus, L. Par. bipustulatus, L. marginellus, Ol. Anthocomus fasciatus, L. Dasytes flavipes, F. S. aerosus, Kies. Psilothrix nobilis, 111. On dande- lions just above high-water mark, Newquay Dolichosoma lineare, Rossi CLERIDAE Tillus elongatus, L. Liskeard Necrobia ruficollis, F. violacea, L. rufipes, De G. PTINIDAE Ptinus scxpunctatus, Panz. Looe fur, L. Niptus hololeucus, Fa'd. crenatus, F. Land's End (Isabell) Hedobia imperialis, L. Priobium castaneum, F. Dead ash, Rome ; decaying elm, Truro