CHAPTER VIII 



EGGPLANT INSECTS 



The eggplant is subject to attack l)y most of the insects 

 affecting the potato and tomato. Several species of flea- 

 beetles attack eggplant and often cause serious injury, especially 

 to the young plants. They are treated in Chapter XVII. 



The Eggplant Tortoise Beetle 



Cassida pallidula Boheman 



In the southern states, the eggplant is occasionally subject 

 to injury by the larvjie and adults of a beautiful green or greenish 

 yellow tortoise beetle about 3^ inch in length. This beetle is 

 distributed throughout the southern United States from Mary- 

 land to Indiana and Kansas southward to Louisiana and west- 

 ward to southern California. It feeds on eggplant, potato and 

 horse-nettle and in California on nightshade. The beetles 

 deposit their eggs singly or in groups of two to four, usually 

 on the underside of the leaves. The egg is about -^V i^ch in 

 length, elongate oval and brownish in color. It is covered 

 and fastened to the leaf with a transparent brownish substance 

 which is usually composed of two layers. Each female is 

 capable of laying 250 eggs or more. The eggs hatch in four 

 days to two weeks and the young larva is greenish white with 

 the head dirty brown. The body is armed on each side with 

 sixteen branched spines and on the back near the hind end of 

 the body two long spines arise and extend forward. On this 

 fork the insect carries its cast skins and excrement, using this 

 N 177 



