CHAPTER XIX 

 MISCELLANEOUS GARDEN INSECTS 



The Pale-striped Flea-beetle * 



ENORMOUS numbers of the Pale-striped Flea-beetles often 

 appear in late June or early July and nearly ruin the young 

 crops they may attack before being brought under control. Such 

 outbreaks occur only periodically, so that usually the grower is 



FIG. 305. The pale-striped flea-beetle (Systena Uanda Mels.): a, larva; 

 6, beetle; c. eggs; d, sculpture of egg; e, anal segment of larva from 

 side; /, same from above; a, d, six times natural size; e, /, more en- 

 laiged'; g, the banded flea-beetle (Systena tceniata Say) six times natural 

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



unprepared to cope with them, which is true of the appearance 

 of many of our worst insect pests. These flea-beetles are almost 

 omnivorous as regards food, for although particularly injurious 

 to corn and tomatoes, they have also injured beans, beets, pota- 

 toes, egg-plant, carrots, melons and other cucurbs, turnips and 

 other crucifers, strawberry, cotton, oats, peanuts, pear foliage, etc., 



* Systena blanda Mels. Family Chrysomelidoe. See F. H. Chittenden 

 Bulletin, 23, n. s., Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 22; S. A. Forbes, 18th 

 Report State Ent., 111., p. 21. 



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