96 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



information received from Dr. E. G. Titus, entomologist of the Utah 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, it does not occur in Utah so far as 

 is known. Professor Gillette informed us that he could find no record 

 of S. hituberosa occurring in Colorado. 



From these data it is apparent that so far as is known Silpha hitu- 

 berosa does not occur west of the main divide of the Rocky Mountains 

 excepting in the State of Idaho. It occurs from northern Kansas 

 northward to Alberta and Saskatchewan. While it has not been 

 recorded from Colorado, it is likely that it occurs sparingly in the 

 northeastern portion of that state and likewise in the western portions 

 of North Dakota and South Dakota. 



From the records of its abundance and injuries in the North and the 

 absence of such records for the South, it seems clear that this insect is 

 to be looked upon as essentially a northern species. The truth of this 

 is emphasized by the fact that the young as well as adults may some- 

 times be seen surprisingly early in the spring. It is quite clear that 

 the species is a native one. 



Occurrence and Injuries in Montana 



The Spinach Carrion Beetle has been collected in widely separated 

 localities in eastern Montana and is probably common throughout the 

 state east of the divide. At times it has been found to be very abund- 

 ant and injurious in the Yellowstone Valley where the only beet sugar 

 factory in operation in the state is located. The sugar beet is the only 

 cultivated plant which, so far as we know, is extensively injured. 



The injuries take place mainly early in May, while the plants are 

 still very small and before the work of blocking and thinning has been 

 done. Both the larvae and adults may be found in abundance at this 

 time and both are injurious, though the greater part of the damage is 

 done by the larvae. From observation in the insectary, it is apparent 

 that the adults live on and feed and lay eggs for a considerable length 

 of time and the larvae likewise are hatching and feeding over a long 

 period. However, the insect is injurious only while the plants are 

 small and it is probable that the period of maximum abundance comes 

 in the season when the beet plants are small. The injury may.be 

 scattered through the field but more often occurs around the edges 

 where frequently the plants are completely eaten off. The insects 

 generally migrate in from some adjoining field where some one or 

 more of the favorite food plants occur as weeds. 



Descriptions of Early Stages 



Egg : — Ellipsoidal, cream white, glistening, without surface markings in the chorion; 

 1.70 to 2.48 mm. in largest diameter by 1.30 to 1.97 mm. There is a considerable 

 degree of variation both in size and shape of the egg, as shown in the illustration. 



