79 



of short, fine, black-tipped hairs. The head, the legs, and the under side of the aVjdomen 

 are covered with short fine hairs ; the tips of the legs are black. When fully grown, the 

 larvae are about thi-ee-eio;hths of an inch in length, by little less than half an inch in 

 breadth. They crawl but sluggishly, using their terminal segment as an additional leg ; 

 and live in large numbers on the squash-vines, where their voracity is attested by the 

 rapidity with which their cast-off skins increase in size and number. These skins are 

 white, transparent pellicles, covered with the characteristic thorns, and preserving in some 

 measure the shape of their former inhabitants. 



Toward the latter part of August, or the first of September, the larvae are fully 

 grown, and begin to change to their pupal state ; they stop eating and crawl to a suitable 

 place, generally upon the top of a leaf, where they can fasten themselves by their 

 terminal segments to one of the veins ; then slough their skin and appear as pupae. 



The pupa is of the same general color as the larva ; the eyes are dusky and the 

 stumpy feet crowded together on the breast. The whole body, but more especially the 

 head, thorax and appendages, is covered with short, simple, black spines. The outer por- 

 tion of the posterior edge of the first thoracic segment is bordered with black, as are also 

 both edges of the elytra, or wing-covers, though the color fades away before reaching the 

 tips. There are two other black bands upon the elytra, parallel to the first, and nearly 

 uniting as they approach the tip. Between the elytra, at their base, are two little black 

 dots. The edge of the first abdominal segment is marked by two black bands, nearly 

 meeting in the centre, and having each end bent forward ; the second, third and fourth 

 segments have a short, black dash upon either side of the outer posterior edge ; the fourth 

 and fifth segments are darker than the others ; the last segment is furnished with two 

 long, fleshy protuberances, by which the pupa clings to the old, wrinkled, larval skin which 

 still conceals that portion of the body lying beyond the tip of the wing-covers. All the 

 markings which have been descril)ed, excepting the two dots between the elytra and the 

 black dashes of the second, third and fourth abdominal segments, are frequently wanting. 

 Out of a large number of specimens which I obtained in Connecticut, scarcely one had 

 any of these markings, while they were invariably present in those examined at Cape 

 Cod. 



No similar differences were apparent in the perfect insects reared from 

 the different kinds of larva?. The pupa; are about one-third of an inch in 

 length by one-fifth in breadth and one-eighth in- height, and remain but a 

 few days in the pupal state. When they emerge they do not seem to be 

 possessed of a roving disposition, but may still be seen for several days 

 on the plant where they have spent their lives, and for whose leaves they _ 



have still a relish. 



In the perfect state these beetles (Fig 55.) are of the same general color as before, al- 

 though the shade is darker. The elytra have two transverse rows of roundish black spots, 

 five in number, the first row extending across the basal portion, the second traversing the 

 central region ; the middle spot in each of these rows is divided by the suture of the 

 wings. In the centre of the remaining apical portion of each elytron is another larger, 

 round black spot ; there is a black spot upon the thorax, in the middle of the posterior 

 border ; and three other spots, smaller and sometimes fainter, are placed one upon the 

 middle of the anterior edge and the others upon either side of the thorax. The eyes and 

 end of the jaws are black, and the under side of the body is occasionally quite dusky. 

 The whole body is minutely punctured and closely covered with short, fine hairs, invisible 

 to the naked eye ; its length is one-third, and its breadth one-fourth of an inch. 



This beetle was first described by Tbunberg under the name of Coccinella borcalis, 

 but is now placed in the genus Epiltchwi. Being of so large a size, and affording such 

 evident indications of its presence, this insect cin be readily destroyed by hand-picking. 

 There can be no excuse for those who complain of its ravages if they fail to make use of 

 this simple, rapid and effectual expedient — the more rapid and effectual the earlier it is 

 put into practice. Where squashes are grown on a large scale for marketing purposes, 

 it will be advisable to destroy this insect when it appears, by the use of a weak mixture 

 of Paris green and water sprinkled upon the affected leaves. 



