SB 
818 
e578 
ENT 0. 38, SECOND REVISE. Issued September 5. 1908 
nited States Department of Agriculture, 
BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
L. O. HOWARD, Entomologist and Chief of Bureau. 
THE SQUASH-VINE BORER. 
( Melittia satyriniformis Hbn.)? 
sy F. H. Cyrrrenpen, 
In Charge of Truck Crop and Special Insect Investigations. 
GENERAL APPEARANCE AND METHOD OF WORK. 
One of the most troublesome of the many enemies of squashes, 
pumpkins, and other cucurbits is the squash-vine borer. In many 
localities this spe- 
cies surpasses all 
other squash in- 
sects in point of 
injuriousness. . 
Damage is due 
to the larvee bor- 
ing through the 
stems, causing 
them to rot at the 
affected points 
and become sey- 
ered from the 
vine or so iniur- Fig. 1.—Squash-vine borer ( Melittia satyriniformis): a, Male moth; b, 
, ae J female, with wings folded at rest; c, eggs shown on bit of squash stem; 
ing the vine as to d, full-grown larva, in situ in vine; e, pupa; f, pupal cell. AI one-third 
larger than natural size (author’s illustration). 
cause the leaves 
to wilt and the plant to die. The presence of the borer feeding within 
the stem is not apparent at the commencement of the attack, but soon 
becomes manifest through the presence of the coarse yellowish excre- 
ment which it forces from its burrow in the stem and which accumu- 
lates on the ground beneath, as well as by the sudden Tee and dying 
down of the leaves. Wilting occurs soon after ‘the larvee e have made 
@ In = publications oe species was ce eoale ee nas Melittia ceto, or cue a 
For reason of change of name see writer’s article in Bul. 19; n. Div. Ent., p. 38. 
The present edition of this circular is slightly changed from ifs original: whic hh was 
published April 22, 1899, and from the [first] revised edition, issued Noveniber 19, 
1903. 
‘ 
51800—Cir. 38—08 
