23 



it enters and devours the contents. After a time it casts its skin and 

 assumes what is termed the "caraboid" or second larval stage (<f, «?); 

 and with another molt it resembles a white grub, the " scarab^eoid " 

 larval stage (/). When a larva has finished its quota of locusts' eggs 

 it undergoes a fourth molt and forms within its own skin what is 

 known as the coarctate larval stage (r/), and in this condition usually 

 passes the winter. In the spring another larval molt takes plac^, and 

 with the last shedding of its skin the insect enters upon the tru^: pupal 

 stage, and in due time transforms to a beetle." The pupa of a related 

 species is illustrated in iigure 16. 



This species also does injury to beans, peas, tomato, turnip, radish, 

 melons, corn, clover, and alfalfa. It was the cause of a serious out- 

 break in Michigan in the latter part of June and the first part of July, 

 1900. Corn plants about six inches high and clover suffered severely, 

 the reason being that the potatoes grown there, ])eing all late varieties, 

 had not come up, and more palatable food was not available. 



The writer has seen hordes of this species traveling in much the 

 same manner as army worms, and feeding with such voracit}' that 

 scarcely a beetle flew when plants on which they were congregated 

 ■ were approached. When a "flock" starts to feed on one form of 

 food plant it continues on this until all plants 

 in sight have been devoured, when the beetles 

 have recourse to other plants that are palatable 

 to them. This trait has also been observed in 

 other species, especially in the margined blister 

 beetle. 



THE THREE-LINED BLISTER BEETLE. 



( Epicauta lemniscaia Fab. ) 



This blister beetle very closely resembles the 

 preceding; in fact, the two arc frequently con- 

 founded, and injuries inflicted by one species 

 are apt to be attributed to the other. The 

 form under consideration (fig. 11) is a little 

 more slender than the striped blister beetle, 

 has three stripes on each wing-cover instead of two, and is a little 

 longer. It is very a])undant southward, and, although perhaps pri- 

 marily a potato pest like most of our noxious blister beetles, is also 

 extremel}^ fond of beets. During different \'ears we have received 

 complaints of this species and of extensive damage in Florida, South 

 Carolina, and Texas to cal)bage, potato, squash, and to beet tops, 

 as also to alfalfa. In the vicinity of Horton, Tex., in 1896, the 

 last-mentioned crop was said to be a failure, owing to the depreda- 



''■' Particulars in regard to these i)eculiar transformations are given in articles by 

 C. V. Riley, Am. Nat., Vol. XII, p. 286; Vol. XVII, p. 790. 



Fig. lA.—Kpicaaia Icmniscata— 

 enlarged (original, Division 

 of Entomology) . 



