INSECTS INJURIOUS TO POTATOES AND TOMATOES 267 



their power of making long quick jumps are known as flea-beetles. 

 They soon riddle the foliage, often so badly that the plants wilt, and 

 replanting is necessary, particularly with tomatoes. 



Several species are known to attack the potato, the two most 

 common being the potato or cucumber flea-beetle (Epitrix cucum- 

 eris Harris) and one which Professor H. A. Carman has styled the 

 Southern Potato Flea-beetle (Epitrix fuscula) . The Tobacco Flea- 

 beetle (Epitrix par vula) is not uncommonly found on the vines in 

 sections where tobacco is also grown, and other species do similar 

 injury in other sections. All of these species are, however, essen- 

 tially the same in habits and life history, and the same remedies 

 apply to all. 



The potato flea-beetle* is the most destructive. It is only 

 one-sixteenth inch long, jet black, except the yellowish antennae 



FIG. 230. a, potato flea-beetle; b, egg-plant flea-beetle, both greatly en- 

 larged. (After Chittenden, U. S. Dept. Agr.) 



and legs, and there is a deep groove across the base of the thorax 

 (Fig. 230, a). It seems to occur throughout the United States, 

 but is more commonly injurious in the North. Eggplant and 

 tobacco, as well as numerous garden vegetables are similarly 

 injured. This species has commonly been called the cucumber flea- 

 beetle from its specific name, but it is evidently a misnomer, as it 

 is much more abundant upon the potato and related plants. 



During the winter the beetles hibernate under leaves, rubbish, 

 etc., and in the spring come forth and lay their eggs upon the 

 roots of some of our common weeds of the Nightshade family, 

 such as the horse-nettle, Jamestown-weed, Desmodium, etc., 



* Epitrix cucumeris Harris. See O. A. Johannsen, Bulletin 211, Maine 

 Agr. Expt. Sta. 



