526 Report op the Entomologists op the 



Although this insect is an old and well-known pest, its life 

 history does not seem to be well understood. The grubs are 

 supposed to feed on the roots of cucurbitaceous plants, but it 

 has been frequently noticed that, when the beetles are very abun- 

 dant, the grubs were not found and also that the roots did not 

 appear to have been infested. This was observed last season, 

 and indicates that the grubs may have other food plants. 



Lime and Taris green are the insecticides frequently used 

 against the cucumber-beetle. Last year this treatment proved a 

 success with some growers and a partial failure with others. 

 In one instance where this treatment proved a success, the lime 

 was applied liberally just after a shower while the vines were 

 yet wet. The next day Paris green was sprayed upon the vines, 

 the poison being used at a strength of one pound to 150 gallons 

 of water. The lime and Paris green were again applied a few 

 days later. This treatment was kept up while the beetles were 

 abundant and resulted in keeping the vines comparatively free 

 from injury. 



Asparagus Beetles. 



Two species of asparagus beetles are common in western 

 New York. One is commonly called the six-spotted beetle and 

 the other the twelve-spotted beetle. The latter is also sometimes 

 called the red beetle. The former is Grioceris asparagi Linn, and 

 the latter Grioceris 12-punctatus Linn. In the vicinity of Geneva 

 the former is the more common of the two. 



During the past season the former species (0. asparagi) was 

 first noticed at the Station on May 11. The eggs were then 

 abundant on the young stalks of asparagus. The beetles them- 

 selves must have been present at this time but were not observed 

 until May 14. May 22 a few of the eggs had hatched. At this 

 time a number of the larvae were transferred to the green-house, 

 where they grew very rapidly, becoming nearly full size by the 

 26th. August 21 the beetles were found mating. Eggs and 

 larvie were also quite abundant on the brush. 



The latter species (C. 12-punctatns) was first observed at the 

 Station May 14. We did not succeed in getting either the eggs 



