GAKDEN INSECTS 279 



pupate in the soil, the pupae being commonly called "horn- 

 blowers." The adult moths emerge about three weeks later 

 during midsummer. In the tobacco belt there are two gen- 

 erations a year, but in the North there is but a single genera- 

 tion and in the Gulf States there may be three. The adult 

 is a large gray moth, marked with black, white and yellow, 

 with a wing expanse of about five inches and may often be 

 seen gathering nectar from petunias and similar flowers. 

 From their size and flight they are often called "humming- 

 bird moths." The large caterpillars rag the foliage of toma- 

 toes or tobacco and will quickly do considerable damage. 

 When .carried into the barn they sometimes injure tobacco 

 as it dries. On small patches the easiest method of control 

 is hand-picking. Tomatoes should always be sprayed with 

 Bordeaux mixture and arsenate of lead for diseases and other 

 insects, which treatment will also control these larvae. 

 Tobacco and tomatoes which have not been so sprayed 

 should be dusted with powdered arsenate of lead (12), diluted 

 with at least an equal bulk of dry wood ashes, applying 3^ 

 to five pounds per acre. Or it may be used as a spray, two 

 pounds to the barrel. (See page 253 for Tomato Fruit- 

 worm.) 



150. Striped Cucumber-beetle.* The little yellow bee- 

 tles with black heads and three black stripes on the wing- 

 covers, which appear just as the young melon and cucumber 

 plants are : up, are known to every gardener. They swarm 

 over the plants and very frequently are so numerous as to 

 necessitate replanting. 



The beetles hibernate over winter and emerge two or 

 three weeks before cucurbs are up, during which time they 

 feed on various flowers. After feeding on the young melon 

 plants for a few days the females commence to deposit their 



* Diabrotica vittata Fab. Family Chrysomelidce, see page 121. 



