SMALL BEETLES AND GRUBS ATTACKING FOLIAGE 155 



Fig. 



in the leaves, and when the 



young or larvae get to work 



a few days later, the foliage 



may be pretty well destroyed. 

 The adult beetles are broadly 



oval, flattened, and their backs 



bear some resemblance to a 



tortoise shell. The Two- 

 striped Sweet Potato Beetle 



{Cassida hiviUata Say) is one 



fourth of an inch long, and 



has two black stripes on each 



of its yellow wing covers. The 



Golden Tortoise Beetle {Copto- 



cycla bicolor Fab.) is larger 



and a bright, golden yellow. 



The Black-legged Tortoise 



Beetle {Cassida nigripes Oliv.) 



is five sixteenths of an inch long, and has gold wing covers, each 



bearing tliree black spots. 

 The larvse of tortoise beetles are known as " peddlers," because 



they often carry a mass of excrement on two spines at the hind end, 



and elevate this over their 

 backs. 



There is one generation a 

 year. The adults hide away 

 in warm, dry places. To con- 

 trol, dip the plants before set- 

 ting out in arsenate of lead 1 

 pomid to 8 or 10 gallons of 

 water. The larvse may be 

 killed by applying Paris green 

 or arsenate of lead to the plants 

 after setting. 



159. — Work of Tortoise Beetles on 

 sweet potato. Original. 



Fig. 160. — A Tortoise Beetle, Coptocycla 

 bicolor. Enlarged and natural size. 

 Original. 



