INJURIOUS TO MELONS, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, ETC. 393 



itself by its anal extremity to a leaf, and next day sheds its larval 

 skin, which is pushed down toward the end of the body, when the 

 pupa stage is assumed. The la va matures anytime from the 

 middle of July to near the mid- 

 dle of September. In the pupa 

 state the insect remains from 

 six to nine days, when the skin 

 separates down the back and 

 the perfect beetle emerges, 

 the new brood appearing as 

 early as the last of July. 

 After feeding for some time 

 the beetles disappear for hiber- 

 nation, . . . beginning about 

 the middle of September." 

 The adults have the habit of 

 marking out a circular area 

 of the leaf, which seems to 

 cause the tissue to wilt, and 

 then feeding within this area. 

 The larva are to be found 

 feeding on the under surface of 

 . the foliage in July and August. 



Control. Usually hand picking the beetles and eggs will 

 control the pest, but if abundant it may be readily destroyed by 

 spraying or dusting with arsenicals. 



FIG. 284. Work of the squash lady- 

 bird greatly reduced. (After W. 

 E. Britton.) 



The Squash-vine Borer * 



In many localities the most serious pest of squash is the 

 Squash-vine Borer, and although other cucurbs are sometimes 

 injured, they are relatively free from attack if squash or pumpkins 

 are present. The larvae bore in the stems, causing them to rot 



* MeUttia satyriniformis Hbn. Family Sesiidce. See Circular 38 Bureau 

 of Entomology, II. S. Dept. Agr. 



