INSECTS INJURIOUS TO POTATOES AND TOMATOES 299 



from which the beetles come forth to attack the foliage of the 

 crops mentioned. There are at least two and probably three 

 generations a year, but the life history of the species has not been 

 carefully studied. The larvae are minute, thread-like, white 

 worms. 



Occasionally the larvae mine into the tubers, doing considerable 

 damage and causing " pimply " potatoes. Such injury was 

 quite common in New York, in 1894, and in Colorado in 1903. 



The principal injury by the beetles is done to the young foliage 

 just after it is up in the spring, when then swarm upon the plants 

 and thoroughly riddle the leaves, a badly eaten leaf appearing 

 as if it had been hit by a charge of fine bird-shot. The complete 

 life history of the species has not been definitely determined, 

 but the injury by the adults is rarely troublesome except when 

 the plants are young, and the larval injury to the tubers occurs 

 later in the season. 



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 '222), 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 

 .are up they will be protected. Both potatoes and tomatoes 

 should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and arsenate of lead 

 * Epitrix fuscula Cr. f Epitrix parvula Fab. 



