VEGETABLE INSECTS. 



295 



■whieh they nre very t'oiul of, hut oecasioiially eat the tender younji' 

 leaves. 



The beetles hiy their small yellow eggs in the soil around the roots 

 of the plants, and the larvfe. whieh are slender, white, worm-like 

 <-reatures, feed on and tunnel tlie roots. 



These beetles, although always common, ne\<'r l)ec()inp excessively 

 jibundant, probably due to the fact tliat cucurbits are never grown 

 o)i a very large scab' in Porto Kico. 



Confrol. — AVhen these beetles arc ti'oubh'some the plants should 



Fig. 47. — Melon Aphis (Apliis gussypii). o, wiuged female; uh. dark female; I), 

 younfi" nymph or larva; c, last stage of nymph; d, wingless female. All imicli 

 enlarged. (U. S. Bureau of Enton)ology. ) 



be sprayed witli ai-senate of lead, three i)OUiuls in fil'tN- galhiiis of 

 water. This will repel the 1)eetles and kill thos(> that feed. 



TJiE SMALL STKiPLD CUCUMBER BEETLE {Diahrotica hivitaita). 



This beetle is very similiar to the preceding species except that 

 it is smallei" and its legs are entirely testaceous, whereas the legs of 

 the larger species are partly black. 



Its life history and feeding habits are very similiar to the preced- 

 ing form, and it maj^ be controlled in a similar manner. 



