INSECTS AND DISEASES 69 



and yet there may be a few people who are not ac- 

 quainted with it. The adult beetle is about two- 

 fifths of an inch in length, yellow in color, with 

 black head, and black longitudinal stripes on the 

 wings and thorax. The larva is a slender wormlike 

 creature, nearly white, except each end, which is 

 brown. When fully grown it measures about one- 

 third of an inch in length. 



The adult beetle hibernates under various kinds 

 of rubbish, such as dead grass, leaves, etc. As soon 

 as warm weather comes it comes forth and feeds 

 upon any or all kinds of cucurbit vines, usually pre- 

 ferring the squash, but does not limit its diet 

 entirely to the cucurbit family. Its omnivorous 

 feeding habits make it possible for it to come forth 

 from its winter quarters some time before the cu- 

 curbits are planted and still find suitable plants on 

 which to feed. As soon, however, as the melon or 

 cucumber plants are above ground, the beetles begin 

 to call in their forces and begin a general attack on 

 these plants, and if the grower is not watching for 

 them, they will often destroy a large portion of the 

 plants in a single day or night. 



The injury to the plants is done by eating into 

 the stems, usually below the ground, w r here they 

 hide during the hot portion of the day, and also by 

 eating the leaves, which soon causes them to turn 

 brown and dry up. The eggs are deposited upon 

 the stems just below the surface, and as soon as 

 hatched the young larvae bore into the main roots, 

 which causes the plants to wilt and die. Thus this 

 insect works upon the plant, as it were, from both 

 ends, or, more properly, both above and below 

 ground. This active stage lasts for about a month, 



