EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



393 



into tlie celery stalks but into some unfortunate larva that came in its way. 

 The species is not common enough to do any great injury, but another 

 darker and somewhat more slender species, closely related to the tarnished 

 plant bug, may prove harmful. This species is known as the dusky plant 

 bug, or Derceocoris {Calocoris) rajndus Say. It was only occasionally 

 found on celery this season. Two other species, Agalliasies associatus 

 Uhl. and Poeciloscytus basalis (?)Keut. were also occasionally found. 

 Remedies suggested for the tarnished plant bug, will apply also to these 

 species. 



CELERY BEETLES. 



In this order of insects, the beetles, witli their hard shelled wing covers, 

 the injurious species are very few. What there are belong to one tribe 



— the flea beetles. They are given this 

 name because when disturbed they will leap 

 and jump like fleas, instead of flying. The 

 largest of these little beetles is not over a 

 twelfth of an inch long. In feeding they 

 are not like the bugs just treated of, but have 

 biting mouth parts with jaws that chew the 

 leaves. The work of the flea beetles is easily 

 recognized by the numerous little round 

 holes that will be found eaten in the plant on 

 which they feed. We always find them the 

 worst in the early part of the season when the 

 plants are young and tender. On the celery 

 Fig. is.-uy>iaitarsiis meianMnt.s. one of there Were three species, Longitarsus mel- 



the celery flea-beetles-Coriginal). aniiVUS (Fig. 13), CrepicloderCl CUCUmeriS, 



and ChcEtocnema parcipunctata that were common in the order named. 

 The second species named, along with the turnip flea beetle, Phyllotreta 

 vittata, has often done much harm on our grounds to turnips, radishes, 

 tomatoes, and cabbages, and no doubt their work is familiar to all. They have 

 often skeletonized the leaves so that little but veins would be left, or, with 

 the plants recently transplanted, have eaten them so that they have wilted 

 and died. The work of the flea beetles on celery is the same as on other 

 plants, and their work in spots last spring was considerable. If the beetles 

 are at all numerous at transplanting or soon after, they will soon do the 

 plants harm and the plants should be freed of them. To do this a very 

 safe and sure means would be to use the hopperette spoken of under leaf 

 hoppers on page 29. The beetles are very easily disturbed and leap so 

 readily when it is warm that they are almost sure to be caught. Prof. 

 Cook found a few years ago that a strong tobacco decoction worked 

 admirably in keeping the little flea beetles off the plants. He used a 

 double handful of tobacco dust to each gallon of boiling water. 



THE CELERY CATERPILLAR (Papilio asterias, Fabr). 

 Oedee LEPIDOPTERA. Family PAPILIONID^. 



We now come to the caterpillars that in the mature form become biitter- 



flies and moths. The first caterpillar of which we treat is one of the most 



conspicuous of all the celery insects. Its large size when nearly grown, 



Hnd the striking color of yellow with black transverse bands, makes it on 



50 



