CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF COMMON INSECTS 317 



an elongate middle dot on back; legs black; orange-colored proleg on 

 last segment. Full grown in 2-3 weeks. 



Pupa. — Dark yellow, in a smooth oval cell in the ground. 



Life-history. — -Adults hibernate under rubbish, and feed in April or 

 May on the buds. Eggs deposited in May and hatch in a few days. Larvae 

 present in June- July and mature in 2-3 weeks; pupae remain in the earth 

 for 1-2 weeks, and transform to beetles in July. There is but one brood. 



Control. — -Spray early on the first appearance of the beetles in April 

 with arsenate of lead (3-4 lb. to 40 gal. water) ; spray with arsenate 

 of lead in June- July to destroy the grubs on the leaves. 



Strawberry Flea Beetle {Haltica ignita 111.). — A widely distributed 

 pest, but most destructive in the South. 



Adult. — -A small beetle, }q inch long, green, copper-colored or blue. 

 Hibernates. 



Eggs. — ^Laid on leaves of Evening Primrose. 



LarvcB. — Feed on leaves and pods of Evening Primrose and allied 

 plants. 



Pupce. — Formed in the ground. 



One brood in the North, but more in the South. 



Willow Flee Beetle {Crepidodera helxines Linn.) varies from brown- 

 ish bronze to metallic blue or green. It eats holes in the leaves of willow, 

 and has been reported as feeding on the leaves of young apple trees. 



Red-legged Flea Beetle {Crepidodera rufipes Linn.). — A widely dis- 

 tributed beetle in Europe and America. Food plant is the black locust, 

 but adjacent orchard trees are often injured. 



Spinach Flea Beetle {Disonycha xanthomeloena Dalm.). — Injurious 

 to sugar beets, spinach and lamb's quarters (Fig. 207). 



Adult. — -Shining black with a greenish lustre; pro thorax and 

 abdomen reddish yellow; legs and antennas pale yellow; 3^^ inch long; 

 October-May and July-September. 



Eggs. — Orange, laid on end on bits of leaf; hatching from April- 

 July and July-September. 



Larva. — Gray, with rows of raised tubercles, each bearing a black 

 hair, on segments. Full grown in June-July and September-October. 



Pupa. — In the ground. Duration of first generation about a month. 



The Alder Flea Beetle {Haltica himarginata Say) occurs periodically 

 in enormous numbers on alder, willow and poplar. (See Bull. 265, 

 Maine Ag. Exp. St.) 



