Insects Injukious to the Potato and Apple. 569 



Fig. 2. 



i \ 



STRIPED BLISTER BEETLE— LYTTA VITTATA.— /*^a6r. 



There is quite a large group of beetles known as blister- 

 ing beetles. These are mostly long, narrow insects running 

 or flying with speed. They are not of large size — from, 

 three-fourtlis of an inch to one inch long — the wing covers 

 are less rigid than in most beetles, and when crushed and 

 applied to the skin they produce blisters. Perhaps the 

 most common of these beetles in the United States is the 

 striped blister beetle {Lytta vittata, Fdhr). The moths 

 attack vegetation only in the larval or caterpillar state, 

 while the beetles may attack it in either the larval or per- 

 fect state, or both. The striped blister beetle only attacks 

 the potato in the perfect state. The beetle is of a reddish 

 yellow above, with two black stripes on the thorax, and on 

 each wing cover, and two black spots on the head. The 

 under side of the body is black, as are the legs, and covered 

 with grayish down. It is from one-half to three-fourths of 

 an inch long and about one-fourth of an inch wide. I do not 

 know that this beetle has ever committed great ravages in 

 Vermont, but the fact that it exists in the State, and that 

 in the West it has done in some places very great mischief 

 warns us to keep watch of it, and should it appear anywhere 

 in unusual numbers, immediate measures should l)e taken 

 for its destruction. I have seen large patches of potatoes 



