2 
cause of injury through their unseen but none the less pernicious work 
at the roots. Another form of mischief is caused by the beetles acting 
as carriers of the bacterial wilt disease! of cucurbits, cotton, and cowpea. 
The subterranean habit of the larve make it certain that they are 
more often than not at the roots of cucurbits without the knowledge of 
the farmer or gardener. the outward manifestation of their presence 
being the wilting of the leaves and the failure of the plants to develop 
perfect fruit. Far too often the debility or death of the vines through 
the presence of this insect is attributed to dry weather or some similar 
natural cause. Injury, then, is threefold, due: (1) to direct attack by 
the beetles to the plant above the roots; (2) indirectly to the beetles as 
transmitters of disease germs; (3) to the larve working upon the roots 
underground. 
FOOD PLANTS. 
This cucumber beetle is rarely absent from the farm and garden over 
an area which embraces nearly our whole country, and is by far more 
common and more destructive than any other cucurbit pest with which 
we have to deal. Hubbard and marrow squashes are favorites, followed 
by cucumbers and canteloupes. Other cucurbits, such as pumpkins 
and watermelons, are also subject to injury by the beetles and larve. 
It is not alone in the field and garden that this species is troublesome, 
as serious injury is sometimes done in greenhouses in midwinter, both 
as larva and beetle. So far as we know the larva is restricted to the 
Cucurbitacex, but the beetles attack other plants. They are flower 
feeders naturally, but eat also nearly every other portion of a plant, and 
even cause injury to cucurbits by gnawing the rinds of the fruit. Among 
other cultivated crops, beans are favorites, and the beetles often con- 
gregate in numbers upon bunches of these plants with the result that 
the leaves attacked die and the pods are rendered so unsightly as to be 
useless for market. Peas are similarly attacked, as also ripe apples, 
apple blossoms, the leaves, silk, pollen, and unripe kernels of corn. 
Of wild plants the beetles evince a partiality for the flowers of golden- 
rod, aster, and sunflower, devouring the colored portions, stamens, 
pistils, and ray flowers. They also frequent the flowers of chokeberry, 
June berry, cherry, and related plants. In addition they feed freely 
upon the prickly cucumber or wild balsam apple (Echinocystis lobata), 
a probably natural food plant. 
LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS. 
The beetles make their appearance in April or May, earlier or later, 
according to locality and climate, feed upon such flowers as may be in 
season or on other vegetation, and when cucurbits are set out attack 
and injure them in the manner previously described. 
1 Neocosmospora vasinfecta Atk. (Bacillus tracheiphilus Erw. Sm.). 
