INJURIOUS TO CUCUMBER, SQUASH AND MELON 139 

 The Squash Aphis 



Macrosiphum cucurbilic Middleton 



Squash and pumpkin are sometimes found infested by a 

 green plant-louse about yV ii^<^'h in length. The body of the 

 winged form is green with the thorax tinged with brownish and 

 the abdomen has a median line of darker green. In the wing- 

 less form the body is green with few markings. This species 

 has been reported as injurious in Connecticut, Ohio and Illi- 

 nois and as infesting eggplant in Florida. Fortunately, it does 

 not, as a rule, become abundant on the vines until late in the 

 season when the crop is nearly matured. Its wild food plants 

 include shepherd's purse, wild mustard and ground ivy. The 

 aphids multiply parthenogenetically throughout the summer, 

 both winged and wingless females being present. Males and 

 egg-laying females are produced only in the fall. The ovip- 

 arous female is wingless with the body green. The antennie, 

 except the first two joints, and the tip of the cornicles are 

 black. The males are smaller than the females with the body 

 black and the margin of the abdomen greenish. The antenna? 

 are black, dark brown at the base. The winter is passed in the 

 egg stage. 



The squash aphis can be controlled by the measures sug- 

 gested for the melon aphis. 



The Garden Sprinctail 



Sminthurus hortensis Fitch 



Many garden plants are subject to injury soon after they 

 come up by a minute wingless insect that eats out very small 

 holes in the epidermis of the leaves and enlarges the wounds 

 made by other insects. The insect is about 2^ inch in length, 

 dark purple in color spotted with pale yellow. The head is 



