INJURING THE PLANTS. 



205 



develop in about two weeks from the time of 

 hatching. They then descend to the earth where, 

 slightly beneath the surface, or under rubbish above 

 the surface, they change to pupse. About ten days 

 later they emerge as beetles 

 to feed upon the plants and 

 deposit eggs f or a n o t h e r 

 brood. The beetles (c) are 

 very pretty little creatures, 

 with head, legs and antennae 

 of a shining metallic green- 

 ish-black hue, a r e d d i s h- 

 brown thorax ornamented 

 with two conspicuous black 

 spots, and lemon-yellow wing 

 covers, marked with a longi- 

 itudinal black stripe and a 

 transverse black band. There 

 are two or more broods each F ^^on4a'k U Tilrv' •;''" 



season. 



tie: b and c magnified. 



: a, 



bee- 



Remedies. — The plan most successfully adopted 

 by Long Island gardeners to prevent the injuries of 

 this insect is that of destroying by hoeing or other 

 cultivation, all volunteer growth of asparagus, leav- 

 ing only the shoots designed for market for the bee- 

 tles to lay their eggs upon. These shoots are cut and 

 removed so often that there is no opportunity for the 

 eggs to hatch in the field, and thus the increase of the 

 pest is effectually prevented. The beetles are greed- 

 ily devoured by domestic fowls, and in kitchen 



