28 



P)rT.7.7':TTX ] S4. 



tlieir legs foldetl up against the Uody and feign deatli or "])lay pos- 

 sum." Tliev l)eluni!: to the family of Leaf-l)eetles or Chrysomelids, 



and are thus closely allied to the asparagus 

 beetle, the Colorado potato beetle, the grape- 

 vine Hea-beetle and many other insect pests. 

 The larva of this pes^t is a small white grul), 

 not f[nite half an inch long when full grown, 

 and it has a yellowish head and cervical 

 shield, with its mouth parts darker. Its 

 general appearance and form is well shown in 

 figure 7. These grubs live in the soil where 

 they feed upon the roots of the vines. They 

 v.— T/w (/rub or larm may be found by carefully examining the 



(nt the right) and the ^^;^[ around the roots of the infested vine at 



pxj'ii, enlarged. Most 



of the injury is done ^hnost any time of the year except in June 



hy the grubs which and July. 



ii-ork on the roots. '^\^q grub transforms to a white and tender 

 The lines at the left ,. ^ . ^ . , ^^ n i 



,. ,7 ^ " pupa, iisjure <, m June m earthen cells formed 



of the jigures rep re- i -i ' o ' 



sent the natunii Hear the grape roots by the grubs. The pupal 

 length oj^the objects, c^tage lasts a])out a fortnight, when the trans- 

 formation to the beetle takes place. 



Thk Indications of Its Presence, and How It Works. 



Fortunately tliis pest works in such a way as to enable one to 

 easily recognize its presence in a vineyard, and often before serious 

 damage has been done. The work of the beetles is especially con- 

 spicuous and characteristic. They feed entirely upon the upper 

 surface of the leaves, bealnnino; on the lower leaves in the latter 

 |)art of June and later in the season working higher u}) on tlie 

 vi^ungest and most tend(;r foliage ; sometimes they also attack the 

 fruit. They eat " by gathei'ing a ([uantity of the substance of the 

 leaf in their mandibles or large jaws and jerking the head upwards, 

 after which the body is moved a step forward and another mouthful 

 of food is secured as before. After securing' a few mouthfuls in 

 this way they move to another ijlace and beo-in ai>:ain, tiius eatiiiii' 

 out iiumerons cliaiii-likc areas of irregular length,'' as is well shown 

 in iigures T) and 8. Leaves eaten in this peculiar manner could 



