340 



THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



Fro. 20. c. Male and female antennae of b. d. Same of a. 



crude carbolic acid. This may be diluted with from twenty to 

 fifty parts of water, and either sprinkled on to the young rad- 

 ishes or turned into a trench made close beside the row. This 

 preparation is also good to use about stables to keep the flies 

 away, and in poultry houses to destroy lice and mites. For these 

 last I have replaced the carbolic acid with kerosene. It is easier, 

 however, to mix kerosene with sour milk. 



Blister Beetles. Lytta cinerea, Fabr., and Lytta atrata, 



Fabr. Family, Meloidce. 



Order, Coleoptera. These 



soft -shell, long -necked, 

 -- trim beetles the one ash- 



colored (Fig. 20, a), the 

 ^J_ other coal-black (Fig. 20, 



b] are frequently very 



iT-iniio fr voriOUS Vege- 



tables and flowers. They sometimes attack beans and asters, 

 and make quick work of whatever falls a prey to their vora- 

 cious habits. 



NATURAL HISTORY. The larval condition of these beetles has 

 been unknown or involved in doubt. It is now known that 

 allied species have a very strange and intricate metamorphosis, 

 and are parasite on bees. 



The beetles appear in early summer and in autumn, and are 

 very voracious feeders. 



REMEDIES. These beetles have the habit of falling off of the 

 plants whenever the latter are suddenly jarred. So in case the 

 plants are tall enough to receive a sheet beneath, or can be bent 

 over an umbrella, the beetles may be readily gathered, and then 

 destroyed by scalding or crushing. 



A striped blister beetle (Lytta vittata) is often called the old 

 potato beetle, from its attacks on the potato. All of these 

 beetles can be killed by use of Paris green or London purple. 



The Striped Cucumber Beetle. Diabrotica 

 vittata, Fabr. Family, Chrysomeh'dce. Order, Coleoptera. 

 This beautiful little beetle, yellow with black stripes 

 (Fig. 21), which seems suddenly to fairly swarm 



