. Bulletin. Insects; Insect pests; Entomology; Insects; Insect pests; Entomology. 15 are rapidly increasing, although it continues to liv^e b}^ preference on weeds and wild plants. The crops most injured are beets, spinach, and saltbush; and natural food plants are chickweed and lanibsquar- ters. The leaves of these plants arc riddled with holes, chiefly the work of the larvae, but also of the beetles, and gardeners complain that spinach may ))e so badly worm-eaten that it is impossible to offer it for sale. Considerable injury to beets was observ^ed by the writer in 1900, and during 1902 and
. Bulletin. Insects; Insect pests; Entomology; Insects; Insect pests; Entomology. 15 are rapidly increasing, although it continues to liv^e b}^ preference on weeds and wild plants. The crops most injured are beets, spinach, and saltbush; and natural food plants are chickweed and lanibsquar- ters. The leaves of these plants arc riddled with holes, chiefly the work of the larvae, but also of the beetles, and gardeners complain that spinach may ))e so badly worm-eaten that it is impossible to offer it for sale. Considerable injury to beets was observ^ed by the writer in 1900, and during 1902 and 1903 the insect has been the most con- spicuous species on sugar beet in and near the District of Columbia. The larvae, as well as beetles, drop quickl}^ upon being disturbed, and as the former are inconspicuous in appearance, and the latter feign death, the miscreants are apt to elude recognition, the earl}^ injury produced being frequently ascribed to cut- worms and the later damage to other insects. Frequently from 15 to 20 larva? live on a single leaf. They feed mostly on the under surface. The beetle (tig. T, a) is shin- ing black, sometimes with a greenish or bluish luster. The prothorax and abdomen are red or reddish yellow, and the legs and antenna) pale yellowish. It measures less than one-fourth of an inch. The buff or orange eggs {7j, Ih) are deposited in masses. The mature larva (c) as it occurs on sugar beet is dull leaden gray, with darker head and still darker brown mouth parts, but on red and purple beets it takes on the color of the plant attacked. This is a native species and of exceptionally wide distribution, its habitat extending from New England to Mon- tana, and from British America to Florida and Texas. It is one of our earliest spring visitors, appearing in the lirst warm days of March in the Atlantic States, and continuing a])road some vears through Novem- ber. Two generations occur in the District of Columbia, the first usually produced on chickweed,
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