312 



ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



by fall. Winters deeper in the soil, but resumes feeding in the spring. 

 Full grown grub p-^ inch long, whitish. 



Pupa. — Formed in an earthen cell 2-3 inches below surface; 3^^ inch 

 long; whitish; head, thorax, and tip of abdomen pinkish and spiny. 

 Duration about 2 weeks in June. 



Control. — Spray with arsenate of lead and molasses in late June 

 and early July; stir the soil in June. 



Fig. 202. ^The common asparagus beetle: a, beetle; b, egg; c, newly hatched 

 larvae; d, full grown larvee; e, pupa. All enlarged. {After Chittenden.) 



Asparagus Beetles. — ^The two species of Asparagus Beetles have 

 come from Europe. They injure the tender shoots in the early season, 

 rendering them unfit for market, and later they eat the leaves of the 

 tall seedlings. 



Steel-blue Asparagus Beetle {Crioceris asparagi Linn.). — Adult 

 A small beetle 3^4 inch long, blue-black; thorax red; wing-covers 

 yellow and black with orange margin. Feeds on the foliage. 



Eggs. — Dark brown, oval; j^fg inch long; laid on end on the buds 

 and stems of leaves in a row in early spring; hatch in 3-8 days 

 (Fig. 202). 



Larva. — Head and legs black; body dark grey or olive; J^ inch long, 

 soft, fleshy, and wrinkled; matures in 10-14 days. Feeds on the foliage. 



Pupa. — Yellowish in a rounded earth-covered cocoon in the ground 

 just beneath the surface; beetle emerges in about a week. 



Parasites, etc. — Megilla maculata, Hippodamia convergens, Podisiis 

 sp., and Tetrastichus asparagi Cwf'd, a chalcid. 



