TWENTIETH REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 27 



The Cottonwood Leaf Beetle (Lina scripta Fab.). The larvae of 

 this beetle became abundant again in 1923, doing severe injury to 

 shelter-belt willows in some parts of the State. The species has wide 

 distribution, extending clear to the Atlantic Coast. 



The Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineota Say). 

 This native American insect, which originally was present to the south 

 of us, has now advanced over most of Montana and is proceeding north- 

 west into British Columbia. It is single brooded in the Gallatin Valley 

 and throughout the State is the occasion of some damage and much 

 labor in spraying. 



The Larder Beetle (Dermestis lardarius Linn.). This well-known 

 insect appeared in injurious numbers in grocery warehouses and was 

 the occasion of several letters of inquiry in 1923. It confines its 

 attack to animal matter, including food stores. 



The Spotted Blister Beetle (Epicauta maculata Say). This beetle 

 occasioned many letters of inquiry because of its appearance in gardens, 

 generally in the eastern part of the State, in 1924. We have noticed 

 in past years that they have been especially abundant in years of 

 grasshopper prevalence. The young of this mildly destructive species 

 feed in the egg-pods of grasshoppers. They are not a real controlling 

 factor in grasshopper abundance and, when doing damage, steps 

 should be taken to eliminate them. 



Nuttall's Blister Beetle (Cantharis nuttalli Say). This large 

 blister beetle with bright, metallic colors is found abundant and in- 

 jurious to the foliage of ornamental shrubs and sometimes on alfalfa 

 and garden crops. It appeared again in abundance during 1923 and 

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The Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium confusum Duv.). This 

 minute beetle, a pest of stored cereals, crushed foods, etc., was reported 

 as troublesome in a flour mill in northern Montana in 1923. It is 

 widely distributed in the State. Mill owners and wholesalers should 

 become acquainted with this pest. 



The Granary Weevil (Calandra granaria Linn.). Several eleva- 

 tors reported this insect present in sufficient numbers to cause alarm 

 in both years. 



The Clover Head Weevil (Phytonomus nigrirostris). For several 

 years this insect has persisted in regions in the western part of the 

 State and has done some damage. It again attracted general attention 



