WILLOW BEETLE. 



271 



These beetles come out in the spring from their sheltering 

 places, and feed on the leaves of various kinds of Willows, 



Phratora viteUincr : Willow Beetle, caterpillars, and eggs, magnified ; 

 lines showing nat. length. 



also of Poplars. Later on, the caterpillars or grubs hatched 

 from the eggs of these beetles continue the mischief. 



These whitish spindle-shaped eggs are 

 laid in small patches on the surface of the 

 leaves, — whether invariably on the under 

 surface, as in the case of those sketched 

 above, I do not know. The eggs are pro- 

 tected by a loose transparent membranous 

 film. The caterpillars which were for- 

 warded were half an inch long when full- 

 grown, pale yellowish or whitish, with black 

 head ; the segment next the head nearly all 

 black above, and a squarish black mark 

 above the two last segments of the grub ; 

 the intermediate segments variably marked 

 with black, amongst which a more or less 

 interrupted series of black marks down the 

 back and black spots on the sides, largest on 

 the three segments next the head, were the 

 most noticeable. 



These grubs feed on the under side of 

 the skin of the leaf, working right through 

 until the upper surface is only a film, which 

 dries and cracks away. When full-fed the 

 caterpillars ttini to cJirysalids in the ground, 

 and from these a second attack of beetles 

 come up in autumn. 



In some years the attacks of Willow Beetles are excessively 



Willow leaf partly eaten 

 by Willow Beetle. 



