Insect Pests Which Pretj Upon the Cabbage 67 



nates in the larval state and may be destroyed by plow- 

 ing during winter, as already suggested. The Harlequin, 

 Calico, Terrapin, or Lincoln bug, emerges from his winter 

 retreat with the first warm spring weather and sucks the 

 leaves of the plants. Being a sucker and not an eater, 

 this insect cannot be destroyed by poisoning the plants. 

 If only a few rows of plants are to be protected, the 

 finger and thumb will be the most reliable mode of 

 attack. This insect will collect upon the most pungent 

 plants, such as mustard, cress or radish. Occasional rows 

 of mustard sown amongst or near the cabbage will col- 

 lect them, and these plants may be sprayed with kerosene, 

 and plants and bugs all killed at once. This is called the 

 "Harlequin bug trap." It is important to destroy them 

 before eggs are deposited. The eggs hatch the perfect 

 insect, which, in great numbers, seek protection amongst 

 the leaves of the plants, and cannot be destroyed without 

 injury to the plants. There are three species of larvae 

 which eat the leaves of the cabbage, (a) The larva of 

 the white cabbage butterfly, which is seen depositing eggs 

 from March to November on the leaves of the cabbage 

 and other cruciferous plants. This larva is the color of 

 the cabbage leaf, and is covered with very fine short 

 hairs. So nearly does this larva resemble in color that 

 of the cabbage leaf that the inexperienced gardener 

 will overlook it. It is very hardy, withstanding a tem- 

 perature of 10° Fahrenheit. At this temperature it 

 appears torpid in the morning, but resumes its work of 

 destruction when warmed by the noonday sun. (b) The 

 checkered white butterfly produces a larva striped in 

 color and longer than the green worm. It crawls as a 



