250 INSECTS AFFECTING TRUCK CROPS 



Description and Life History. All tortoise beetles have ap- 

 proximately identical life histories. The adults resemble some- 

 what minute tortoises in shape. They originally fed upon weeds, 

 particularly wild morning glories. The taste for cultivated plants 

 is an acquired one. The leaves of the young sweet potato plants 

 are attacked, and frequently the entire plants are ruined, requir- 

 ing resetting. The eggs are laid on the stems and leaves. The 

 larvse are less injurious than the adults. They are short, bristling 

 creatures, with the disgusting habit of heaping their excrement 

 on the top of their bodies by means of fork-like appendages on 

 the posterior ends of the abdomen until they are nearly or quite 

 covered and concealed from view. The pupal stage is passed upon 

 the leaves, and the beetles hibernate in the adult stage. 



Control. Dip young plants in a solution of one pound of 

 arsenate of lead in ten gallons of water just before they are set 

 out. This is perhaps the most efficacious means of control. A 

 pint of molasses added to this makes it adhere better to the plants. 

 This material may be sprayed upon the plants when they are 

 first attacked. 



Cut worms. These pests cut the young and tender plants 

 shortly after they are set. They are controlled either by the use 

 of poisoned bran mash, described on page 195, or by dipping the 

 plants in arsenate of lead and water at the time of planting, as 

 advised for the tortoise beetles. In case of severe attacks both 

 measures might be advisable. 



Flea Beetles. One or more species of this sort attack young 

 sweet potato slips. One should use the same remedies as advised 

 for tortoise beetles. (See page 249.) 



Saw Flies. The larvae of these insects are the small slimy 

 " slugs." They are not to be confounded with the true slugs or 

 naked snails, which are mollusks. Two species are known to attack 

 sweet potatoes and feed upon their leaves. Plants coated with 

 arsenate of lead, as previously suggested, would be immune to 

 attacks by this insect. 



Other insects which may attack sweet potatoes are sweet 

 potato plume moth, the cucumber flea beetle, the sweet potato 

 hawk moth, and, occasionally, crickets. 



PEPPER PLANT INSECTS 



The Pepper Weevil. This insect (Anthonomus ceneotinidus) , 

 quite injurious in Texas, was originally introduced into this coun- 



