772 



REPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



The Squash Ladv-Bird, EpUaclina horealh Thuuberg (Fig. 40).— Feeding on the 

 leaves of the sjqr.asli and pumijkiuj a yellowish grub, with long branched spioes. 



Wliile all the other species of the faoiily of '• lady-bird" {Coc- 

 cineUid(i') are caruivorous, preying on other living insects, as 

 plant-lice, etc., the present species is injurious to cucurbita- 

 FiR 40- ^^ous plants. The beetle is yellowish, with seven large black 

 Squash La- spots ou each wing-covcr. "The larva is yellow, with long, 

 dy-Biid. brown, branched spines, arranged in rows of six on each 

 segment, except the first thoracic segmeut, which hc-is only four. The 

 pupa instead of spines has short bristles, especially on the thorax." — 

 (Ostensacker.) Besides this beetle, the common black flea-beetle, Haltica 

 (Epiihrix) cucumen's Harris, punctures the seed-leaves, causing at times 

 a great deal of mischief. 



The Pickle- Worm, Phacellura nitidalis Cramer (Fig. 41.) — Boring cylindrical holes in 

 cucuinbers, causing the fruit of the cucumber, melon, or squash to decay; a pale, 

 greenish yellow caterxiillar, with a pale reddish head. 



According to Riley, the pick- 

 le-worm begins to api)ear ia 

 the latitude of Saint Louis, 

 Mo., about the middle of July, 

 and continues its destructive 

 work until the end of Septem- 

 ber. *' They bore cylindrical 

 holes into the fruit and feed 

 on its fleshy parts. They are 

 grass-feeders, and produce a 

 large amount of soft excre- 

 ment. Ihavefoundasmauy as 

 four in a medium-sized cucum- 

 ber, and a single worm will 

 often cause the fruit to rot. 

 They develop very rapidly, and 



Fig. 41.— a, pickle-worm; ?), bead and prothoracic COme tO their growth in from 

 segment, enlarged ; c, d, e, f, q, markings ; /j, three tO four weeks. When 



cocoon; i, male moth.— (After Riley.) about to transform they for- 



sake the fruit in which they had burrowed, and drawing together portions 

 of some leaf that lies ou or near the ground, spin a slight cocoon of white 

 silk. Within this cocoon they soon become slender, brown chrysalides, 

 with the head parts prolonged, and with a very long ventral sheath 

 which incloses the legs. If it is not too late in the season the moths issue 

 in from eight to ten days afterward. The late individuals, however, pass 

 the winter within their cocoons ; though from the fact that some moths 

 come out as late as November, I infer that they may also winter over 

 in the moth stiite." (Riley.) The m-oth is yellowish-browu, with golden, 

 yellow spots on the fore wings, and the hind wings yellow, with a broad, 

 dark border. 



Remedies. — The cucumbers, melons, or squashes can be examined and 

 the infested ones destroyed with the worm within. 



INJURING THE HOP. 



The Ai'His of the Hop. — Clustering often in vast numbers ou the branches and 

 loaves of the hoii-viue ; small, greenish, wingless or winged plant-lice. 



The most destructive insect of the hop at times in New England is an 

 aphis, which it is very diflicult to exterminate. The best remedy is, 



