LEAF-BEETLES. 



165 



THE RED-HEADED SYSTENA. 



(Syslcua frontalis Fab.). 



This common flea-beetle has repeatedly caused injury to the 

 grape-vines by eating the green tissues on the upper sides of the 

 leaves, which in consequence discolor and wither. Like the other 

 flea-beetles it possesses enormous leaping powers, and as it is 

 rather large and very agile, it is no easy matter to capture it. It 

 is about one-sixth of an inch long, with densely, but very finely 

 punctured thorax and wing-covers. The head is reddish-yellow 

 a! Hive, especially in front and between the eyes; the long feelers 

 are also reddish, with black basal joints ; the underside is brown- 

 ish-black. Equally common is S. hudsonias Fab., which is en- 

 tirely black, with dark rusty-brown feelers and legs. 



Pig. 169.— Syslena tseniata, Say. — 

 After Forbes. 



Fig. \~<).—Phyllotreta vittata, Fab.— 

 After Division of Entomology, T T . S. 

 Department of Agriculture. 



Another species of Systena, illustrated in Fig. 169, is decid- 

 edly injurious to the young plants of the sugar-beets. It is called 

 the "pale-striped flea-beetle" (S. taeniata Say), and is here illus- 

 trated to show the shape of insects of this kind. 



Among the large numbers of injurious flea-beetles at least one 

 other should be mentioned, as it is frequently received as being- 

 very destructive to a number of young plants, but chiefly to plants 

 belonging to the Crucifcrac, as cabbage, radish, mustard, and Oth- 



