[39] Report of the State Entomologist. 135 



them. They are very voracious and usually complete their work 

 before they are discovered. They remain only about a week." 



The insect is the ash-grey blister-beetle, Epicauta cinerea (Forst.), 

 represented in Figure 17. It was formerly known as Lyfta marginata 

 Fabr., the margined blister-beetle, from the conspicuous 

 margin of ash-colored hairs bordering the black wing- 

 covers. The head, thorax, under side of the body and 

 legs are covered with gray hairs. This insect, in the 

 perfect stage, is usually found feeding on certain wild 

 plants. It often occurs on the potato, and sometimes in 

 injurious numbers. It might naturally be expected to 

 attack the tomato, but I have no recollection of its hav- m a r g i n e d 

 ing before been reported as depredating injuriously upon blister-beetle, 

 this plant. Other species of Epicauta feed readily on the ebea. 

 potato, and may therefore be found hereafter on the tomato. 



E. cinerea is a common species throughout the Eastern, Middle, and 

 Western States, extending over a large portion of the United States. 



Epicauta Pennsylvanica (De Geer). 



Tlie Black Blister-beetle. 



(Ord. Coleoptera: Fain. Meloid^.) 



Meloe Pejinsylvanica De Geer: Mem. serv. Hist. Ins., v. 1775, p. 5, No. 16. 



A package received from Baltimore, Md., contained the following 



note of insect injury and inquiry for means of arrest: 



I send you by mail a box containing some black bugs which lately 

 have appeared in very large numbers in my garden, feeding upon 

 the cabbages and carrots, to which for the present they seem to con- 

 fine themselves. They wholly strip the leaves of the carrots, leaving 

 the bare ribs of the leaf. What are they and what would you propose 

 for their destruction ? 



The insect is the black blister-beetle, whose scientific name is given 

 above. It is identical with the species known until recently as Eytta 

 atrata Fabr. Its color is black throughout, being entirely destitute of 

 the colors, spots, or stripes of the other species. Its size is also less 

 than that of E. vittata or E. cinerea, measuring only from four to five- 

 tenths of an inch in length. 



Its Food. 



It often occurs in destructive numbers in potato fields, and may 

 commonly be met with during the month of September on the flowers 

 of the various golden-rods, to which it is attracted for food. It also 

 visits china-asters and other flowers. Prof. E. S. Goff, of the Wis- 

 consin Agricultural Experiment Station, has sent it to me as feeding. 



