Elementary Study of Insects

<h2><SPAN name="Chapter_X" id="Chapter_X"></SPAN><span class="smcap">Chapter X</span> <br/><br/>THE WHITE GRUB OR JUNE-BUG</h2> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/035.jpg" width-obs="250" height-obs="234" alt="" title="" /> White grub feeding on roots of corn plant, enlarged.</div> <p class="cap"><span class="dcap">This</span> insect is more familiar to country children in the grub stage. Every one who has followed a plow in rich sod land has seen these fat, white coiled grubs roll down into the furrow when the plow turns them up. They are in the ground feeding on the roots of plants. Often all the roots of<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</SPAN></span> grass in lawns and meadows are eaten off and the sod dies and can be rolled up like strips of carpet. This insect breeds largely in sod and when this is plowed under and other crops are planted the grubs may injure them severely.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</SPAN></span> Corn, wheat, oats and truck crops are severely injured. In some cases the grubs may feed for three years before they change to the pupa and later to the adult beetle. To control this pest, plow in the fall and rotate crops, so that sod will not remain on the same land too long.</p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/036.png" width-obs="276" height-obs="400" alt="" title="" /> June beetle showing stages of development. The larva or grub worm is feeding on roots under ground; the pupa and adult are shown above ground.</div> <p>The beetles come from the ground or may be plowed out in May and June and are commonly spoken of as May-beetles or June-bugs. They are usually of a yellowish-brown color and are often troublesome coming into the house at night where they buzz about the light, bumping into everything until they finally drop heavily to the floor. All country boys and girls know these beetles.</p> <h3><span class="smcap"><SPAN name="Observations_and_Studies2" id="Observations_and_Studies2"></SPAN>Observations and Studies</span></h3> <p>Collect a number of the grubs from the ground and examine them for legs, eyes and mouth. How many legs have they? Can you find eyes? What use would they have for eyes while in the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</SPAN></span> ground? Do they bite? Place them on the table and see how they move. What color are they? Do you find spines or hair on their bodies? Pull up a little grass by the roots and put it in a jelly tumbler with soil and put some of the grubs in with it. Water it so as to keep it growing and follow the development of the grubs.</p> <p>Collect some of the beetles and put them in a bottle and watch them crawl about. Where are their wings? How can they get them out when they want to fly? How many legs have they? Examine the tip of the feet for hooks. What are these used for? Can they chew leaves? Where are their eyes? Do you find feelers and if so where?</p> <p>Write a short description of the grub and the beetle and make careful drawings of them.</p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</SPAN></span></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />