handling and, on peaches, we find it protects the plants for
only a few days. Chlordane, which has a very important use in connection
with these insects in the grub stage, is not recommended above ground;
it is too brief in its action. Methoxychlor may be used instead of DDT.
It is less effective, but much less poisonous, and should be applied
more frequently.

Now, the other aspect of control is to try to reduce beetle production
over the whole area so that you don't have so many beetles flying in to
the plants during the summer and you don't have to spray so frequently,
if at all. This is the phase to which I wish to give particular
attention, after we consider the life history.

~Life history:~ The Japanese beetles in the adult stage are in evidence
here from late June to late September, or, roughly, for the summer
season. The adults lay their eggs in the soil, mostly in lawns, mowed
grassy fields and pastures. The adults die but the eggs give rise to
tiny, bluish-gray larvae which feed chiefly on grass roots. The larvae
grow through the fall and spring, and, if more numerous than about 40 to
the square foot in September, or about 25 in April and May, can cause
severe lawn damage.

MR. CORSAN: That's the stage when the pheasants and starlings eat them.

DR. ADAMS: Yes, in the grub stage.

MR. CORSAN: I see thousands of starlings gorging themselves.

DR. ADAMS: Yes, scratching birds, crows and skunks can take them out;
the starlings make a hole the size of a pencil point to do so. In our
survey areas grub populations sometimes seem to drop rapidly in May,
when the birds are feeding their nestlings. In June, the surviving
larvae mostly change into pupae, and by July they are appearing as
beetles. From the lawns and grassy fields they readily fly to weeds,
shrubs, grapevines and trees. They fly at least a few hundred yards, if
need be, to find their host plants. Well kept, sunny, lawns with good,
moist soil, which carry 40 grubs to the square foot in the fall may
still have plenty at transformation time in early summer. A lawn of
5,000 square feet could thus produce 100,000 beetles. Yards, roadways
and pastures commonly produce as many as six beetles to the square foot,
which means a quarter million to the acre.

~Chemical control in the grub stage:~ In New York we suggest that on a
home property the more valuable sections of permanent lawn be
grub-proofed with chemicals as soon as there are 5 to 10 grubs to the