4 BULLETIN 901, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The grapevine flea-beetle has been recorded as feeding on various 

 plants, including the following: Grape (Thomas, 3), black alder 

 (Harris, 7), plum and elm (Fitch, 8), Virginia creeper (Saunders, 11), 

 apple and quince (MacMillan, 14), peach (Neal, 16), and blue beech 

 (Schwarz, 17). 



Of these food plants only three have been frequently listed, viz, 

 the grape, the Virginia creeper, and the black alder. It was sug- 

 gested by Lintner (13) that records of feeding upon black alder were 

 probably due to a confusion of this species with A. himarginata, the 

 alder flea-beetle, which closely resembles A. chalyhea. This view was 

 confirmed, at least so far as Harris was concerned, by Slingerland (19), 

 who found in Harris's entomological correspondence evidence that 

 Harris's later studies convinced him that the alder flea-beetle and 

 the grapevine flea-beetle are separate species. Hartzell (24) lists 

 only cultivated grape of the Concord variety and the wild grape 

 ( Vitis hicolor) as food plants. 



Slingerland (19) records a difference of opinion among growers as 

 to what varieties of grapes are most seriously attacked by the grape- 

 vine flea-beetle, some correspondents stating that the flea-beetle pre- 

 ferred Concord foliage and others that it preferred the thin-leaved 

 varieties. 



In addition to the references designating the grapevine flea-beetle 

 as A. chalyhea 111., Lugger (21) describes the habits of an insect 

 which he calls "the lesser grapevine flea-beetle," and believed to be 

 A. ignita 111., the strawberry flea-beetle. He describes the habits 

 as similar to those of A. chalyhea, the only difference noted being 

 that the former was little more than half the size of A. chalyhea. It 

 is quite possible that the insect referred to was the "small form" of 

 the grapevine flea-beetle. 



In discussing the " ignita group" of the genus Altica, Woods (26) 

 mentions a beetle believed to be a new species collected on woodbine 

 both in 1917 and in 1918, which is probably the lesser grapevine 

 flea-beetle. He describes the salient characteristics of the adult 

 and mentions that the eggs are deposited singly or by twos on the 

 under surface of the leaves. 



THE GRAPEVINE FLEA-BEETLE. 



DESCRIPTION OF STAGES. 



THE ADULT. 

 PI. II, fig. 3. 



The following is a copy of Horn's (15) description of the beetle: 



II. chalyhea Illig. 



Oval, of moderately robust facies, color usually metallic shining blue, rarely 

 cupreous or greenish. Antennae half as long as the body, piceous, the basal half 

 with metallic lustre, joints 2-3-4 gradually longer. Head smooth, slightly rough- 



