268 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



in May and June. The larvae mine in the roots of these plants 

 and transform to pupae in small earthen cells among the roots, 

 from which the beetles come forth in the spring to attack the 

 foliage of the plants mentioned. According to Johannsen, (1. c.) 

 the larvae feed mainly on the roots, root-stalks and tubers of the 

 potato. When they feed on the tubers they are responsible 

 for the condition described by growers as " pimply potatoes." 

 There is but one generation per year in Maine and probably in 

 the Northern States generally, according to the same authority. 



Injury is usually due to the feeding of the adult beetles which 

 have come out of hibernation in the spring. These riddle the 

 leaves by their feeding, with small holes which look like they 

 might have been made by a charge of fine birdshot. Occasionally 

 the larvae injure seed tubers in the spring, but this is rare. 



FIG. 231. Larva of potato flea-beetle. (After Johannsen, 1. c.) 



The Eggplant Flea-beetle* so nearly resembles the previous 

 species that it will not be distinguished from it but by the entomol- 

 ogist. It is slightly larger, however, with the wing-covers more 

 hairy, and the groove at the base of the thorax is not so distinct. 

 It has much the same food-plants, but is particularly abundant 

 on eggplant, and is more commonly injurious in the South, below 

 the Ohio and Potomac rivers. 



The Tobacco Flea-beetle f has been previously discussed 

 (page 212) but should be mentioned, as it is commonly injurious 

 to potato, tomato, and eggplant throughout the South, as well 

 as to tobacco, and occasionally to corn and other plants. 



Control. It has been found that Bordeaux mixture acts as 

 an excellent repellant against these little beetles, and that plants 

 well covered with it are not seriously injured. Inasmuch as 

 it is always advisable to spray potatoes as soon as they are a 

 few inches high for fungous diseases and for the Colorado potato 

 beetle, by applying the spray as soon as possible after the plants 



* EpitrixfuscuLa Cr. 

 f Epitrix parvida Fab. 



