53 



(see Fig. 57d}, upon which the dirty-yellowish larvfe, 

 covered with mantles of their own excrements, may 

 be found feeding in mid-summer. (See Fig. 57«.) 

 They attain their full size in about two weeks, when 

 they descend to the ground and transform in earthen 

 cells, formed of small grains cemented together by a 

 gummy exudation from the mouth. In about a 

 fortnight the rather handsome beetles emerge, and 

 may be found in about potato patches during August 

 and a portion of September. 



Grioceris asparagi, Linn., the European aspara- 

 gus beetle, is a closely allied species, which has ^^' 

 followed to America the celebrated food -plant from which it derives its name. It was 

 figured in the Reports for 1880 and 1881, but as no description of the beetle was then 

 given, I will insert it here as given by Miss Ormerod, in whose valuable "Manual of 

 Injurious Insects " it is the first species described. Fig. 58 shows the beetle, larva and 



egs;, all much magnified ; the natural length of the 

 egg and beetle is shown by the lines at the foot of 

 the figure. The eggs are attached by one end along 

 the young shoots, as figured. The grubs are of a 

 dirty olive or slate colour ; are fully fed in a fort- 

 night, when they descend into the ground, trans- 

 form in parchment-like cocoons, and in two or three 

 weeks emerge as perfect beetles. These are about 

 a quarter of an inch long, blue-black or greenish, 

 the body behind the head red, with two black spots, 

 the wing cases are ochreous-yellow, with a line 

 down the centre of the back, a branch from each 

 ^^'S- 58. side, and a spot at base and tip of each wing-case. 



The beetles on emerging from the ground lay their eggs, and the insect is found in all 

 stages, from about the middle of June to the end of September. 



This beetle appeared in eastern New York more than twenty years ago, and 

 threatened at one time to destroy the extensive asparagus plantations on Long Island. 

 Its depredations were soon checked, however, and its spread prevented. Our Report for 

 1880 gave methods of dealing with the larvte, but did not mention the application of 

 freshly slacked lime, which is stated by Mr. A. S. Fuller (Am. Ent., page 4) to be the 

 most practicable and effectual method. The best time to dust the plants, with the finely 

 powdered lime, is while the dew is still on them, or after a shower. The lime almost 

 instantly kills every larva it touches, and those that escape may be destroyed by a second 

 application. So effectual was this process found, that about one application every 

 alternate season sufficed to keep the insect in check. 



Anomosa laticlavia, Forst., is a stout beetle, slightly more than one-quarter of an 

 inch long and half as wide. It may be considered as belonging to the aristocracy of the 

 Chrysomelida3, for its specific name of laticlavia means, in Latin, having a broad purple 

 stripe — a mark of distinction borne by senators, military tribunes, and the sons of 

 distinguished families. The abdomen, legs, eyes and antennas are blackish, the head, thorax 

 and elytra are ochraceous, while a broad purplish 

 black stripe runs down the back, and a narrow one 

 along the margins of the elytra. Found upon 

 willows, cherry, etc., in June and July. 



Coscinoptera dominicana, Fab. , the Dominican 

 case-bearer, is a cylindrical beetle, nearly one-fourth 

 of an inch long, and is well represented in all its 

 stages in Fig. 59 (after Riley). In the figure, a, 

 shows the larva extracted from its case ; b, the same 

 dragging its case, which is composed of chewed 

 fragments of leaves : c, beetle enlarged to show 



