The need for an up-to-date textbook on agricultural entomology has been apparent for many years. Although there are now in existence one or two modern books dealing with the insect pests of farm crops in Great Britain, yet these are elementary in character and from their nature are unable to deal as fully with the subject as could be wished in view of the valuable information on applied entomology which has accumulated during the last two decades. Curtis’ Farm Insects published in i860 remains the standard textbook on agricultural entomology in the British Isles but this is now long out of date.

Although under present conditions of high cost of production, the publication of as large and profusely illustrated a volume as Curtis’ Farm Insects would be a matter of great difficulty, yet it is this book which the writer has had in mind in the preparation of the present volume. An attempt has been made to give as complete and up-to-date an account of each insect dealt with as the limitations of space would allow. The descriptions of the adult insect and its various stages are given in some detail, together with the salient facts in its life history. Special attention has been paid to control methods, and though descriptions must necessarily be brief, the writer has endeavoured to give essentials. In each case the more important farm weeds which act as alternate hosts for many insects are given and also the natural enemies so far as these are known. The book is based upon the results of much original work, and it is hoped that the information thus assembled and the manner of its presentation will render it of use to two classes of readers, both the agriculturist and the agricultural entomologist. The writer has omitted any introductory account of the elements of entomology as there are already a number of excellent books on the subject, to which references will be found at the end of this chapter. No attempt has been made to deal with the insect pests of fruit, partly because they could not adequately be described in a volume of this size and partly because there already exist two comprehensive books, F. V. Theobald's Insect Pests of Fruit, and A. M. Massee's Pests of Fruits and Hops.