INJURIOUS INSECTS. 33 



larval state. It often does great damage to sod and to 

 strawberries. 



Remedies. For beetle, use arsenites, or jar them early 

 in the morning. For grubs, plough up the lawn so as to 

 expose them to field-birds and poultry, or turn in hogs. 

 Avoid planting strawberries on grubby land. The grubs 

 are often worst upon land which has laid in sod, or which 

 has been heavily treated with stable manure. 

 Mealy-Bug (Dactylopius adonidum, Linn.). A white scale- 

 like insect attacking greenhouse plants. 



Remedies. Alcoholic decoction of pyrethrum. Whale- 

 oil soap. Carbolic acid and soap. Removing insects with 

 brush on tender plants. Whiskey, applied with a brush. 

 Fish-brine. House-^plants may be washed in soapsuds. 

 The best procedure in greenhouses is to knock them off 

 with the hose. A small hard stream of water upsets their 

 domestic affairs. 



Melon. MELON-WORM (Eudioptis hyalinata, Linn.). Larva, 

 some over an inch long, yellowish green and slightly hairy, 

 feeding on melon-leaves, and eating holes into melons, 

 cucumbers, and squashes ; two or more broods. 



Remedies. Hellebore. Arsenites early in the season. 

 SPOTTED CUCUMBER-BEETLE. See under CUCUMBER. 

 STRIPED CUCUMBER-BEETLE. See under CUCUMBER. 

 SQUASH- VINE ROOT-BORER. See under SQUASH. 

 Mite (Tetranychus bimaculatus, Harvey). Much like red 

 spider in size and shape, but light-colored, with two dark 

 spots behind. Feeds upon the under side of the leaves of 

 many greenhouse plants. The most serious greenhouse 

 pest. Known also as " Verbena Mite." 



Remedies. Kerosene emulsion, or Hughes' fir-tree oil. 

 Kerosene emulsion (2) (1 part to 20 or 25 parts of water) 

 will kill them if it is applied thoroughly to the under side 

 of the leaves. The application should be repeated two or 

 three times at intervals of a day or two, or until the mite 

 is destroyed. Thereafter, spray once a week. On roses 

 and most greenhouse plants, the emulsion should be washed 

 D 



