64 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETABLES 



yellow head. The legs end in blunt padlike processes. It is an 

 American species and of rather wide distribution, from New 

 Jersey southward to Georgia and westward to California. The 

 beetle is nearly omnivorous and injurious to beans, beets, po- 

 tatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, corn, carrot, melon and other cucur- 

 bits, turnip and other crucifers. It also attacks strawberry, 

 cotton, oats, peanuts and the leaves of pear. The beetles some- 

 times do- severe damage in three or four days. The species 

 hibernates as a beetle, and appears in the vicinity of the District 



Fig 34 —Pale-striped flea-beetle, a. Larva; b, beetle; c, eggs; d, sculpture of egg; 

 e, anal segment, from side; /, same from above, a-d, six times natural size; e, f, much 

 enlarged. (Author's illustration, U. S- Dept. Agr.) 



of Columbia early in June; egg laying continues to the middle 

 of July, if not later; injury is usually due to the beetles upon 

 their first appearance and almost any valuable crop may be 

 injured. The larvae live below the ground, and have been ob- 

 served by the writer and others feeding on roots of corn, lamb's- 

 quarters and Jamestown weed. 



The Banded Flea-beetle (Systcna tccniata Say). — The banded 

 flea-beetle has similar habits to the preceding and similar struc- 

 ture ; it was in fact, until quite recently very generally confused 

 with the pale-striped form, and many references to injuries by 

 it are really due to the latter. Like the latter it varies con- 



