BEET INSECTS. 41 



BEET; MANGELWURZEL OR MANGOLD; SUGAR BEET; CHARD. 



{Beta vulgaris Linnaeas. Family Chenopodiacese.) 



The beet and its varieties are grown from seed. The varieties have been developed 

 either for their roots or their foliage, which are edible. A race of showy foliage beets 

 has been developed which make excellent flower-garden borders. The species occurs 

 in America, Europe, and as far east as Persia, and the Caspian Sea. Insects are most 

 likely to be introduced in shipments of beet roots. 



A. BETTER KNOWN BEET INSECTS LIKELY TO BE IMPORTED. 



Atnmaria linearis Stephens. 



(Pigmy Mangold Beetle. Cryptophagidai; Coleoptera.) 

 I 

 Hosts: Mangolds, beets, Bugar befets. 



Injury: Very destructive by destroying sprouts at time of germination and later 

 attacking both roots and leaves. 



Description: Beetle 1-1.5 mm. long, dark brown, with fine pubescence. The life 

 history has not been worked out. 



Distribution: Europe (England). 

 SoRAUER, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, vol. 3, p. 475, fig. 290. 

 Theobald, Fred. V. First Rept. Econ. Zool., Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist.., 1903, pp. 8, 9, 



figs. 

 Jablonowski, Jozsef. Die Tierischen Feinde der Zuckerriibe (translation by Julius 



Reitzer), 1909, pp. 136-142, fig. 31. 



^ Cassida nebulosa Linnceus. 

 (Beet Tortoise Beetle. Cassididse; Coleoptera.) 



Host: Beets, sugar beet, orache, lambsquarter, Atriplex, etc. 



Injurij: Both larva and adult feed on the foliage. 



Description: Beetle dorsally flattened in the shape of a tortoise shell, about 6 mm. 

 long, yellowish gray or pale green. 



Distribution: Eiurope, Asia (Persia to Siberia), and recorded from California in 1894. 

 SoRAUER, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, vol. 3. p. 533. 

 Chittenden, F. H. U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Entom., 1903, bill. 43, p. 14, fig. 6. 

 Jablonowski, Jozsep. Die Tierschen Feinde der Zuckerriibe translation by Julius 



Reitzer), 1909, pp. 261-263, fig. 55. 



Cleonus punctiventris Germar. 

 (Beet Root Weevil. Curculionida,-; Coleoptera.) 



Hosts: Beet, Polygonvm, thistle, goosefoot, tobacco, Sahola. 



Injury: Adults feed on young plants: larvae feed at the roots of beets. Very 

 destructiA-e in east Europe. 



Desciiption and biology: An elongate subcylindrical weevil with stout beak. The 

 larvae feed at roots as low as CO cm. below the surface. Pupate in the larval feeding 

 places. 



Distribution: Europe. 

 Sorauer, p. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d od., 1913, vol. 3, p. 546, 547. 



Gelecliia ocellatella Boyd; Gelecliia atriplirella F. R.; Gelechia instabUcila Doutrlas. (Lita.) 



(Beet leaf miners. Gelechiidae; Lepidoptera.) 

 Hosts: Beets, sugar beets, mangolds. 



Injury: Mine the leaves, and sometimes G. ocellatella bores in the crown and a short 

 distance into the roots. 



