i;5fi() 



FAMILY T.XIV. — i\rET.oin.T;. 



Fig. 591. (After Forbes ) 



r tlie ;iiit('iiii;i'. The first joint is usually sli-M'tcr, i';ii-(4y e(iiial to, 



and iicNci- loiiucr than the third, 

 ^ ' and the second joint is never 



greater in length than half the 

 third. Epicauta viiiata and E. 

 marginata (Fig. 591), are l)oth 

 K'nown as ''old-fashioned potato 

 buus," and frequently appear in 

 swarms in late summer and 

 sweep through a garden or field 

 before the farmer realizes the 

 natui'e of the attack. They es- 

 pecially favor beets and certain 

 Composita' when in flower. As 

 a rule they disajipear as sud- 

 denly as they come, some species 

 leing found in swarms on one 

 day only. Others remain a week 

 or two and are then best gathered into kerosene pans, if at all pos- 

 sible. The arsenites kill them slowly, and a swarm that feeds for 

 a day or two before application is made and a da>- or two before 

 the specimens die has done about as much injury as would have 

 been caused without treatment of any kind. Driving them ot¥ with 

 l)ushes wielded ])y hand is sometimes practiced with fair success and 

 may be resorted to when circumstances favor the method." Six 

 species of the genus have been taken in the State, while one other 

 may occur. 



KEY TO TNDIAiXA SIMXIKS OF KPICAITA. 



(I. Antoiiiml joints of e<in;il thicknes^^ tliron.^-liout, cyliiidrical and closely 

 united; eyes ne.-irly as wide as lon.i,'. feol>ly or not eninr.irinate in 

 front. 

 h. Head less densc^ly ]innctnred than thorax, usually l)rick red hehind 

 the eyes. 2523. tkk^iirus. 



hh. Head and thnrn.x similarly punctured, the former always black; ely- 

 tra clothed with dense j^ray or j?rayish-yellow pubescence. 

 c. Thorax longer than wide, densely i)ubescent with a dark line each 

 side of middle. strigosa. 



cc. Thorax as wide as lent,', mederately shiniii.c. rather coarsely and 

 densely punctured. 2524. ferruginea. 



(III. .\ntennal joints on apical half always more slender, loosely united and 

 nini'c (!!■ less com])ressed ; eyes always limber than wide. ennirjj;inate 

 in front, more finely ,m';uuilate ;ind less iironiinent than in tlmse pi'e- 

 cedinc:. 



'/. Elytra clay yellow. e:icli with two black stri]>ei^ 



vittata. 



