8 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 457 



western half of the state. They caused severe damage to garden 

 crops, especially potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, and strawberries. This 

 build-up was apparently due to the high amount of rainfall which 

 occurred during the growing season. 



BLISTER BEETLES (Meloidae) 



The eastern part of Montana had a severe infestation of blister 

 beetles in 1948. Most of the damage occurred to alfalfa and garden 

 crops. In limited areas throughout the state large numbers of 

 blister beetle larvae were found feeding on grasshopper eggs. 

 In some instances as high as 60 percent of the egg pods were 

 destroyed. 



FLEA BEETLES (Epitrix spp.) 



Flea beetles have a state-wide distribution. During the last 

 two years these insects have caused considerable damage to garden 

 crops. In some sections, spotted throughout the state, flea beetle 

 infestations almost completely destroyed garden plantings of cab- 

 bage, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, beets, and turnips. In the 

 western part of the state, they were also recorded doing damage 

 to sugar beets. 



WHITE GRUBS (Phyllophaga spp.) 



White grubs caused some damage to new strawberry plantings 

 in the Bitterroot Valley during the last biennium. This damage 

 was especially noticeable where strawberries were set out on land 

 that was previously in sod. These insects were observed doing some 

 damage to flower gardens in the vicinity of Billings. In all cases, 

 the infestations were of a localized nature. It appears that white 

 grubs are becoming more common throughout the state. 



MORMON CRICKETS (Anabrus simplex) 



Mormon crickets have not occurred in outbreak numbers in 

 the state since 1941. There was a noticeable increase in the num- 

 bers of this insect in 1947 and an even greater increase in 1948. 

 It is possible to find a few mormon crickets in almost every 

 locality in the state. 



At present these crickets seem to be scattered, as no bands 

 have been observed. From the observations that have been made, 

 however, it appears that a mormon cricket outbreak within the 

 next one to three years is likely. 



EAR WIGS (Forficula auricularia) 



During the last two years an ear wig infestation has appeared 

 over much of the western half of the state. These insects are gen- 



