CHAPTER XX 



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 out- 

 breaks occur only periodically, so that usually the grower is unpre- 

 pared to cope with them, which is true of the appearance of many 



FIG. 292. The pale-striped flea-beetle (Systena blanda Mels.): a, larva; 

 b, beetle; c, eggs; d, sculpture of egg; e, anal segment of larva from side; 

 /, s me from above; a, d, six times natural size; e, f, more enlarged; 

 g, the banded flea-beetle (Systena tceniata Say) six times natural size. 

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



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, potatoes, egg-plant, 

 carrots, melons and other cucurbs, turnips and other crucifers, 



* 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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