INSECTS — INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL 195 



fallen fruit most of the insects are killed. There are many 

 kinds of eurculio which attack other plants, but none are so 

 injurious as the plum eurculio. Jarring the curculios from 

 the tree upon sheets very early in the morning is a good way 

 to keep them in check. Poultry in the plum orchard will 

 catch many of them. 



7. Borers. — There are many species of insects which bore 

 into the trunks of trees, the stems of bushes, and the roots of 

 non-woody plants. Some of the worst of these are the peach- 

 borer, fruit-bark beetle, bill-bug, blackberry borer, currant 

 borer, and strawberry root-borer. In most cases the eggs 

 are laid on the stem, and after hatching the larvae bore into 

 the stem or under the bark, causing the plant to wilt and 

 die. 



8. Beetles. — Many species of beetles are beneficial; among 

 theiii are most of the black beetles which run about on the 

 ground. These beetles and their larvae feed on cutworms and 

 other larvae which injure the roots of plants. The lady-bird 

 beetles destroy large numbers of plant-lice. They are small, 

 hemispherical beetles, usually some shade of brown in color, 

 with spots on their wing covers. The larvae of the lady-bird 

 beetles are small, ugly, black, spiny worms, but they destroy 

 plant-lice. 



Among the injurious beetles are the 'potato-beetles. There 

 are two kinds of these which do the most damage. One is the 

 "Colorado potato-bug," and the other is a blister-beetle usu- 

 ally called the "old-fashioned potato-bug." The eggs of the 

 "Colorado potato-bug" are laid on the under side of the leaf 

 early in spring. The eggs soon hatch, the young grow vigor- 

 ously and are soon full grown. This first brood now lays eggs 

 for a second brood which becomes full grown and passes the 



