SB 

 818 

 C578 

 ENT 



Circular No. 38, Second Series. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



THE S(iUASH-VINE BORER. 



(Mclittia siityriniftinnix Hlin.)* 



GENERAL APPEARANCE AND METHOD OF WORK. 



Fig. i.—Melittia .safiiri/n'/ocmi.s: a, male niotli; h, female, with wings folded in natural position 

 when at rest; c\ eggs shown on hit of squash stem; (7, full-grown larva, /(( situ in vine; c, pupa; 

 /, piipal cell— all one-third larger than natural size (author's illustration). 



One of the most troublesome of the many enemies of squashes, 

 pumpkins, and other cucurbits is the scjuash-vine l)orer. In many 

 locahties this species surpasses all other s(piash insects in point of 

 injuriousness. 



Damage is due to the larvcC boring through the stems, causing 

 them to rot at the affected points and become severed from the vine, 

 or so injuring the vine as to 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 yellowish powdery excrement 

 which it forces from its burrow in the stem and which accumulates 



* Until recently this species was generally known as Melittia ceto, or cticurbitce. 

 For the reason of the change ,of name see writer's article pnhlished in Bnl. 

 19, n. 8., Div. Ent., p. 38. 



