ATTACKING THE FLOWERS. 149 



ATTACKING THE TLOWEES. 



No. 73. — The Pear-tree Blister-beetle. 



Fomphopoea aeiiea (Say). 



This is a greenish-blue or brassy-lookiug beetle, rather 

 more than half an inch long (see Fig. 155), with head and 

 thorax puactated and somewhat hairy, the wing- 

 cases roughened and with two slightly-elevated ^ig. 155. 

 lines. 



These beetles have been found injurious to pear- 

 blossoms both in Michigan and in Pennsylvania. 

 They begin their work by devouring the corolla, 

 then the pistil and calyx, and a portion of tiie 

 forining fruit, but are said to avoid the stamens. 

 They will occasionally eat small portions of the tender foliage, 

 and are usually most abundant on the tops of the trees and 

 about the extremities of the limbs. They also attack the 

 blossoms of the cherry, plum, and quince, but have not been 

 obsefved on the apple or peach. 



This pest is easily controlled. On jarring the trees they 

 drop at once to the ground, ajid if taken in the cool of the 

 morning are very sluggish in their movements. Later in 

 the day, in the heat of the sun, they become much more 

 active, and fly readily. 



ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



No. 74. — The Pear-tree Leaf-miner. 



LilhocoUetis geminatella Packard. 



The larva of this insect mines the leaves of the pear, and 

 also those of the apple. It is very small, of a pale-reddish 

 color, with a black head and a black patch on the upper part 

 of the next segment. In Fig. 156 it is shown magnified. It 



