INJURIOUS INSECTS 1 33 



oughly and with concerted acfliou by all the growers in 

 the sedlion, the relief can not be permanent. 



THE TWELVE-SPOTTU.D ASPARAGUS BEETLE 

 {Crioteris i2-lutnitata Linn) 



The presence of this insecft in America was first 

 dete(fled in 1881, and it is still much rarer and conse- 

 quently less injurious than the preceding species. In 

 Europe, where it is apparen.ly native, it is common 

 but not especially destru(5tive. The chief source of 

 damage from this species is from the work of the 

 hibernated beetles in early spring upon the 5-oung and 

 edible asparagus shoots. Later beetles as well as 

 larvae appear to feed exclusively upon the berries. 

 The eggs are deposited singly, and apparently by pref- 

 erence, upon old plants toward the end of shoots, 

 which, lower down, bear ripening berries, and they 

 are attached along their sides instead of at one end, as 

 in the case with the eggs of the common species. 

 Soon after the larva hatches from the ^<g^ it finds its 

 way to an asparagus berry, enters it, and feeds upon 

 the pulp. In due time it leaves the first berry for 

 another one, and when full growth is attained it 

 deserts its last lar\^al habitation and enters the earth, 

 where it transforms to pupa and afterward to the adult 

 beetle. The life C5'cle does not differ materially from 

 that of the common species, and there are probably 

 the same or nearly as many generations developed. 



This species is at present distributed throughout 

 the asparagus-growing country- of New Jersey, partic- 

 ularly in the vicinit}^ of the Delaware River, the whole 



