314 MANUAL OF VEGETABLE-GARDEN INSECTS 



The Potato Flea-Beetle 



Epitrix cucumeris Harris 



This insect is also known as the cucumber flea-beetle because 

 it was first described from specimens feeding on that plant. 

 But, as it is an important pest of the potato and feeds only 

 sparingly on cucumbers, it is more appropriately called the 

 potato flea-beetle. This species is distributed throughout the 



United States and 



Canada from the 

 Atlantic to the 

 Pacific and has 

 been reported from 

 Porto Rico. It is, 

 as a rule, more 

 abundant and de- 

 structive in the 

 more northern part 

 of its range. It is 

 second only to the 

 Colorado potato 

 beetle as an enemy 

 of the potato and 

 in many localities 

 has proved itself, 

 on the whole, more 

 injurious. It also 

 attacks tomato, 

 eggplant, wonder- 

 berry {Solanum 

 nigrum), peppers, turnip, radish, cabbage, celery, beet, water- 

 melon, cantaloupe, tobacco, cucumber, petunia, bittersweet 

 {Solanum Dulcamara), Jerusalem cherry, horse-nettle {Solanum 



Fig. 195. 



Potato leaves injured by the potato 

 flea-beetle. 



