LEAFHOPPERS OF THE SUGAR BEET. 35 



THE BEET LEAFHOPPER. 

 (Eutettix tenclla Baker.) 

 DESCRIPTIVPJ. 



7'he advlt (PI. T, fig, 1, a) is a small, pale yellowish-green species, 

 little larger than an Enipoasca or Typhlocyba, with which it might 

 easily be confused in the field were it not for the stouter build and 

 greater activity. ^\lien fresh or when flying this leafhopper appears 

 almost white, and for this reason it has often been called the " white 

 fly." (Wing, PI. I, fig. 1, a- genitalia, PI. I, fig. 1, d, e.) 



The eggs (PI. I, fig. 1, /) are Avhite, elongate, slightly curved and 

 tapering at one end, and are thrust into the leaf stem in a slightly 

 downward direction. At first they are scarcely visible (PI. I, fig. 

 1, g), but as the stem grows they are pushed out with the opening up 

 of the injured spot until at hatching time they are often half free 

 (PI. I, fig. 1, h). After the eggs hatch, the Qgg scars continue to en- 

 large and remain throughout the season as irregular, elongate, crater- 

 like swellings (PI. T, fig. 1, i). The eggs are deposited on all parts of 

 the leaf stem, usuall}^ one in a place. In the cages they were often 

 placed close together, very likely in this case by different insects, 

 however, and a number were inserted into the midrib and secondary 

 veinlets of the leaf and a few into the leaf margin near the base. 



The nymphs (PI. I, fig. 1, h) are very active, pale creamj^ white or 

 variously colored forms. The commonest form is pale creamy in 

 color wath a brown saddle on the middle of the abdomen and various 

 mottlings on the prothorax and wing-pads. Some have the same pat- 

 tern with a reddish ground color, more are creamy yellow, and occa- 

 sionally one is seen with a broad and somewhat irregular dark stripe 

 down the back. When small the nymphs will be found most com- 

 monly down in the unfolding leaves at the center of the beet, but as 

 they grow older they spread out over the plant. 



FOOD PLAXTS. 



The original food plant of tliis species is still in doubt. In the 

 spring it was found on greasewood (Sarcobatus), sea-blite (Dondia), 

 several species of Atriplex, Russian thistle, and rarely on other plants 

 of these two families occurring on the Avaste land. As these places 

 dried up, most of the leafhoppers went to the sugar beets in the areas 

 under observation. In one case, however, the sjoecies was found in 

 some nnmljers on greasewood during egg-laying time, which would 

 suggest this plant as its original host. Its known distribution is all 

 within the area in which this plant is abundant. 



