56 



but evinces a partialit}^ for leguminous plants, including cowpea and 

 pea, and has also been destructive to smilax in greenhouses and to 

 potato, morning-glory, and chrysanthemum. In 1897 it was some- 

 what troublesome on edible legumes in Maryland. Among other 

 plants which it attacks are egg-plant, pumpkin, cabbage, and numer- 

 ous weeds. It occurs most abundantly on the under side of leaves, 

 which it punctures so as to cause the death of the tissue in small, 

 irregular, somewhat characteristic white patches. 



This species is shown highly magnified in fig. 54 in the three forms 

 of its adult stage. In its brachypterous or short-winged form it 

 greatl}^ resembles the common black cucumber flea-beetle, alike in 

 appearance, in the nature of its work, and in its saltatory power. It is 

 evidently native and well distributed from Canada and New England 

 southward to Florida and westward to Utah. This shows a range 



Fig. 54. — Halticuf: uhkri: o, brachypterou.s female; h, full-wingerl female; c, male; d, head of male in 

 outline — a, h, c, much enlarged; d, more enlarged (author's illustration, Division of Entomology). 



from the Boreal life zone to the Gulf strip of the Lower Austral. 

 According to the observations of Mr. F. M. Webster, this species 

 ma}^ hibernate in the adult stage, although probably it usually passes 

 the winter in the egg. 



Remedies. — The best remedy is kerosene emvilsion applied thoroughly 

 as an underspra}-. 



Man}' of the instances of injury that have been reported have been 

 largely due to the planting of susceptible crops in the immediate 

 vicinity of clover, which is evidently the preferred host plant. When 

 the clover is cut the flea-hoppers migrate to other crops, and when 

 sufficiently numerous cause damage. It is obvious that with a little 

 care in cropping, such as the avoidance of growing crops subject 

 to injury in the immediate vicinity of clover, much injury would be 

 averted. 



