282 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OP CALIFORNIA. 



THE WESTERN STRIPED FLEA-BEETLE 



Phyllotreta ramosa Crotch 

 (Figs. 275, 276) 



Description. — The beetles are black with two distinct irregular 

 white vittaa on the wing covers. They greatly resemble the striped 

 turnip flea-beetle (Phyllotreta vittata Fab.), but differ in that the vittse 

 are branched just back of the middle, as shown in Fig. 276. The 

 antenna 1 are black, excepting the first four articles, which are amber. 



The legs are dark rufous. 

 The dorsum is quite coarsely 

 punctured and the entire 

 surface is covered with short 

 light hairs. The length 

 averages about fa inch. 



Life History. — The life 

 history is practically the 

 same as that of the striped 

 turnip flea-beetle. 



Nature of Work. — The 

 adults eat circular or irregu- 

 lar holes in the leaves, as 

 shown in Fig. 275. 



Distribution. — It occurs 

 throughout the State and is 

 often confused with the 

 striped turnip flea-beetle, 

 which is so common in the 

 East and which probably 

 does not occur in this State, 

 as has been reported so 

 many times. 



Food Plants. — The writer 

 has taken the adults on 

 mustard, radish and turnip, but it probably infests many of the 

 Cruciferce. 



Control. — Control measures are the same as for the potato flea- 

 beetle, Epitrix cucumeris Harris. 



Fig. 275. — The Western striped flea-beetle, 

 Phyllotreta ramosa Cr. Adults and their work 

 on a turnip leaf. Enlarged twice. (Original) 



THE STRIPED TURNIP FLEA-BEETLE 



Phyllotreta vittata Fabricius"' 



Description. — The beetles are very small, shiny black, with a wavy 

 yellow band on each wing cover and about ^ inch long. The eggs are 

 white. The full-grown larvas are dirty white, slender, covered with a 

 few hairs and -^ inch long. 



Life History. — This is a very common species in the Eastern States. 

 The adults hibernate and appear in April and May. They begin 

 at once to feed upon young plants as they come up and do great 



,<l8 This species, though often reported from California, has always been confused 

 in tins State with the Western form, Phyllotreta ramosa Cr., which is the common 

 Western species. Dr. Van Dyke and Prof. Fall both believe this to be the case. 



