136 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



..:.J 



Fig. 14. Sutrar-beet Leaf -miner, /'ef/owi ///rr riciiKi lAnt. (Original.) 



July 19 the adults (Fig. 14) emerged. They were about half the size of a house-fly 

 and approached it somewhat in appearance. On examination they were found to belong 

 to the family of flies known as Anthomyidae. which family contains many other flies 

 injurious, in the maggot stage, to various vegetables, as the onion-fly, cabbage root- 

 maggot, bean-maggot, etc. The particular species found in the beet leaves was first 

 described, in 1882, by the late Dr. Lintner, State Entomologist of New York, where 

 it was doing considerable damage. The be^t leaves wej'e so extensively mined that 

 they could not be used for greens. Indeed, he reports that several cases of sickness 

 were supposed to have been caused by eating greens infested by this insect. 



While no serious trouble was experienced with this maggot during the past season, 

 it is quite probable that the increasing acreage of beets in Michigan, brought about 

 by the growing of beets for sugar, will furnisli a place for these insects, as well as for 

 others, to thrive. 



There are a number of insects that are troublesome in Europe, and it is probably 

 only a matter of time when we shall get some of them. It is to be hoped that any 

 insects found injuring this crop will be immediately forwarded to the Entomologist, 

 in order that, where necessary, investigations and experiments may be made to deter- 

 mine the best means of control. It is quite probable that sugar-beet leaf-miner 

 is several brooded. When ready to pupate, most of the maggots pnss out of their 

 mines in the leaves into the groimd, although some may remain in the leaves. The 

 insects were not numerous enough last summer to allow experiments, but it is very prob- 

 able that the destruction of the tops and the fall plowing and rolling will prove useful, 

 as it will break up many of the puparia and bury tliem so deeply that the adults 

 cannot get out. 



