THE BEET LEAF-BEETLE' AND ITS 
CONTROL. 
I’. H. CHITTENDEN, 
Entomologist in Charge, Truck-Crop Insect Investigations. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page. 
An important enemy to sugar beets Hood plantsse=2—. 2 -- 4 
in the Rocky Mountain States____ Si], DLATe ESTO yawn ee 2 a ee 5 
OSS ESET a) Ki ered LE A I ae 37 |) Naturalzenemicsa=*—_ -__._. Sees 8 
DIstribu tions hs sk ea 4° ||| Control 4measures=s- =... 2 eee 8 
AN IMPORTANT ENEMY TO SUGAR BEETS IN THE 
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES. 
N THE Rocky Mountain States the sugar beet is subject to injury 
by a yellowish beetle known as the beet leaf-beetle or “ alkali 
” 
bug. 
the beetles also inflict considera- 
ble damage, hundreds frequently 
being found on a single plant, 
which is either entirely consumed 
or so injured that it shrivels and 
dies. Prior to 1897, when injury 
was noted both in New Mexico 
and in Colorado, injury by this 
insect was unknown, it having 
confined itself to such plants as 
sea-blite, Russian thistle, and 
saltbush. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The adult beet  leaf-beetle 
measures from one-fourth to 
one-third of an inch in length, 
is of oblong form narrowed in 
front, and in color is pale yellow 
or buff, sometimes becoming 
Fa. 
1.—The beet leaf-beetle: a, 
b, egg mass; Q, 
fied. 
Beetle ; 
claw of leg of female; 
g, ditto of male, a, Much enlarged; 
b, more enlarged; 9, @, highly magni- 
The main injury is due to attack by the larve or young, but 
smoky or nearly black, with the wing-covers yellowish or darker 
and more or less distinctly striped with black. (See fig. 1, a.) 
1 Monozvia puncticollis Say.; family Chrysomelidae, order Coleoptera. 
21743°—20 
