164 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETABLES 



bark, or in cracks of barns, and here passes the winter. Hiber- 

 nation in the District of Columbia begins sometime In Sep- 

 tember. 



This bug is often parasitized by a tachina fly which assists 

 in holding down its numbers. It is Trichopoda pennipes, shown 

 in figure 109. 



Methods of Control. — This insect is unusually resistant to 

 insecticides. A wash strong enough to kill the mature insect 

 will destroy the vines. This renders it necessary to proceed 

 by hand and cultural methods. 



A lookout for the bugs should be kept early in the season 

 and these as well as the eggs should be picked off or cut 

 away and destroyed. The eggs are readily seen, and the 

 grower should make a practice at the beginning of each sea- 

 son of going over the vines every few days. Such young as 

 hatch in spite of these precautions may be killed by kerosene 

 emulsion if applied at their first appearance. 



The bugs may be trapped by placing about the garden boards, 

 shingles, or similar material, which will attract them for shelter. 

 Here they should be destroyed every morning or so during the 

 early season. Protection to cucurbits other than squash, and 

 perhaps pumpkin, can be facilitated by growing these plants 

 with others to serve as trap crops. Attack will thus be cen- 

 tered on a few plants where the insects can be the more 

 readily controlled. 



A number of the remedies in use against the striped cucumber 

 beetle and other insect enemies of cucurbits will assist in the 

 control of this species. Among these are the protection of 

 young plants with coverings, the use of repellents, planting an 

 excess of seed to distribute attack, stimulating the plant by 

 manures or other proper fertilizer, and lastly, clean cultural 

 practice. If the vines as soon as the crop is harvested are 

 gathered and burned, many bugs will be destroyed and the 

 number reduced for the ensuing year. 



