THE SPOTTED BEET WEBWORM. \) 



Evidently this and other species of flea-beetles, or at least many of 

 them, are in the habit of feeding to some extent in sunshine as well 

 as in shade. 



In regard to remedies for the spinach flea-lx-etle, ^Yhile conducting 

 some experiments in July, 1912, F. H. O'Neill, student assistant, 

 spraying for cabbage butterflies and honey bees,^ to see if sweetened 

 and poisoned substances would kill any of them, observed that a 

 mixture of arsenate of lead used at the rate of G, 12, and 25 pounds, 

 and similar amounts of molasses, to 100 gallons of water, did not 

 destroy the butterflies or bees, but about 60 dead individuals of this 

 flea-beetle were counted beneath the radishes July 16. The flea- 

 l)eetles were not in particular evidence during tlTese days ; but they 

 had " peppered " the beets with the usual small holes and must, 

 therefore, have been abundant about the roots of the plants and come 

 up to feed on the leaves, to their very swift undoing. It was not 

 expected that the poison would kill either the butterflies or the honey 

 bees which were present, and these were practically all unharmed. 



THE HAAVAIIAX BEET AVEBWORM. 



{Hymenki f(isci(i1if< Crnm. ) 



in a single instance the Hawaiian beet webworm {Hymenia fascia- 

 ls Cram.) was reared from Swiss chard with the spotted webworm 

 at "Washington, D. C. Moths issued on October T. The chard is a 

 new food plant. The species is recorded by Marsh as attacking table 

 and sugar beets, stock beets or mangel-wurzels, and several species of 

 Amaranthus, Euxolus, purslane {Portulaca oleracea)^ cucumbers, and 

 chenopodiaceoiis weeds. The moths of the two species are shown, for 

 comparison, in Plate IV. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



On seA^eral occasions during October the last two stages of the 

 nymph of the spined soldier-bug {Podisvs macidiventrts Say) were 

 obserA'ed attacking the larvae of the spotted beet webworm. This 

 was the only predaceous insect observed, although there are probably 

 several others. 



The same is true of the parasitic enemies, a single one being noticed, 

 a small braconid, Hemiteles sp. (Chttn. No, 2194°). This latter 

 was reared October 7. 



The very closely-related Hymenia fasciaUs has several parasites, 

 and the probabilities are that if the present species were studied more 

 carefully in other regions a number of other natural enemies would 



1 These expeiiments were made at the request of oorrespondcnts. 



