28 

 THE POTATO PLANT. 



COLOEADO POTATO BEETLE. 



The Colorado Potato-Beetle has appeared in Alabama this 

 year for the first time. This insect has occurred in immense 

 numbers throughout the northern and eastern parts of the 

 United States, having originally come from the west. It 

 has done immense damage to the potato crop, and when not 

 kept in check it will strip the plants completely of their 

 leaves. 



Colorado Potato Beetj>e. — a. eggs; b, larva* ; c, pupa: d,d, adudt 

 beetles ; e, enlarged wing cover of beetle. 



The adult insect is a beetle nearly one-half inch in length, 

 of a yellow color, with dark longitudinal stripes and orange 

 legs and belly. It deposits its eggs in clusters, usually on 

 the underside of the leaf; these hatch in about a week into 

 small grub like larvte, at first of a light yellow color, but 

 changing to orange or red with a few black spots along the 

 side, as they grow larger. They eat almost continually and 

 with great rapidity, and keep their bodies distended with 



