204 Bulletin 157. 



sent to Dr. Lintner, who referred it to an expert, Dr. Uhler, by 

 whom it was determined as probably the "stink-bug " known as 

 Podisus vwdestus Dallas. In 1856, Dr. Fitch recorded this bug as 

 puncturing grape leaves ; it is more likely, however, that the bug 

 was on the vines for the more useful purpose of sucking the 

 juices from some of the grape -growers insect foes. 



On Ma}^ 30, 1898, w^e saw one of our most common lady-bird 

 beetles {Megilla maculata) eating a young grub of the grape-vine 

 flea-beetle. Thus this pest has its enemies in New York, but, 

 thus far, they have apparently done but little to hold it in check 

 in most localities. 



How THE Insect may be Controlled. 



This grape-vine flea-beetle is not a difficult insect to combat z^//^^7^ 

 one luiderstands its habits and life -history . This last clause is 

 italicized because we believe that to a lack of such knowledge is 

 largely due the frequent reports one hears of grape-growers being 

 unable to check the insect in their vineyards. The insect is vul- 

 nerable and' readily gotten at in tw^o of its stages — as a beetle 

 and as a grub. 



Much good can often be accomplished by going through the 

 vineyard, either in the fall, winter, or early spring, and removing 

 and burning all loose bark and splinters from all the vines, and 

 all rubbish from the vicinity of the vines, thus destrojang many 

 of the beetles in their hibernating quarters. Comstock records 

 an instance where a Georgia grape-grower reduced the 

 crop of beetles from several bushels to only about a hundred 

 individuals by thus" thoroughly going through his vineyard twice 

 in the wdnter. 



Do not allow the beetle to get the start of you in the spring. 

 Be on the lookout for them as soon as the grape buds begin to 

 swell, or during the first warm spell in early spring. Remember 

 that in one day at this time a single beetle is capable of doing 

 more damage than all of its progeny ma}^ do during the rest of 

 the season. Your crop of fruit for the season is locked up in 

 those few^ buds which the pruning-knife leaves on each vine, and 

 it does not take long for the hungry beetles to ' ' nip the crop in 

 the bud." Often grape-growers do not realize that the insect is 



