THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 81 



in a torpid state in their retreats, for Dr. E. S. Hull, of Alton, Illinois, 

 tells us* that they were once so numerous in a small vineyard of his 

 that in the spring of 1867 he burnt them out by surrounding them 

 with fire, and letting the fire run through the dry grass in the vine- 

 yard. " It was a rough remedy, but as his crop was destroyed, he let 

 the beetles follow suit." Clean culture and general cleanliness in a 

 vineyard will, to a great extent, prevent this insect's increase. Espe- 

 cially should the stakes be clean and free from old bark. 



The larvae can be more easily destroyed by an application of dry 

 lime, used with a common sand-blower or bellows. This has been 

 found to be more effectual than either lye or soap-suds, and is withal 

 the safest, as lye, if used too strong, will injure the leaves. 



This insect, like so many others, will one year swarm prodigiously, 

 and then again be scarcely noticed ; and such changes in its numbers 

 depend mainly on conditions of the weather, as no parasite is known 

 to attack it. In the spring of 1888, though they were at first out in 

 full force, yet after some subsequent severe and cold weather, they 

 had mostly disappeared. They are apt to be most troublesome where 

 Alder abounds in the woods. 



IIaltica chalybea, Illig.— Full-grown Larva.— Length, 0.35 inch. Head polished black. 

 Bodj' livid-brown above, paler beneath ; subcylindrical, the joints bulging, especially at sides, and 

 each divided superiorly into two transverse folds ; on each fold a row of six shiny-black elevated 

 spots, the dorsal ones larger than the others, and often (especially the posterior two) confluent, or 

 divided only by a very narrow dorsal line ; each spot giving rise to a single short stiff hair; one 

 such substigmatal black spot placed in middle of joint, and more elongated than the rest, being 

 apparently composed of two confluent ones, as it gives rise to two hairs. Three ventral spots, one 

 anteriorly, which is large, transversely-elongate, central, and without hairs ; and two posteriorly 

 (one each side) which are small and piliferous. Six black thoracic legs, and one anal orange pro- 

 leg. 



Pupa. — Length, 0.14 inch. Of the normal Chrysomelid form. Deep dull yellow, and covered 

 more or less above with short black bristles arranged in a transverse row across each joint, and each 

 arising from a slight elevation : two stouter anal bristles or thorns. Eyes brown. Tips of jaws 

 brown. 



Described from numerous living specimens. 



THE GRAPE-VINE COLkSPIS—Colaspis flavida, Say. 



(Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae.) 



There is alittle clay yellow beetle (Fig. 37, magnified, natural 

 0, which does great injury to the Grape-vine by riddling the 



[Fig. 37.] leaves. It is more or less abundant with us every 

 year, but judging from recorded accounts is still more 

 injurious in the Eastern States, and especially in New 

 Yoik. In the Country Gen Hem an for August SOth, 

 1866, occurs the following account of .it by Dr. Fitch, 

 in answer to a correspondent who wrote that they 

 were destroying grape-vines by the wholesale : 



Proc. Alton Hort. Soc. for May, 1867. 

 S E— 6 



