THE WESTERN CABBAGE ELEA-BEETLE. 13 



HISTORY AND LITERATURE. 



An account of this species, mentioned under the name of the Colo- 

 rado cabbage flea-beetle (Phyllotreta albionica Lee), was published 

 by Kiley in his 1884 report (1, p. 308), 7 in which he stated that it was 

 injurious to cabbage a.nd other cruciferous plants in June and July 

 throughout the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, having been 

 found in great numbers at the very highest elevations. 



In 1889 Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell (2) mentioned this species under the 

 same name, quoting from Riley's report. In a footnote, written by 

 hand in a copy of his paper, appears "Dr. Horn says this is pusilla 

 Horn and not the true albionica Lee." The same year Dr. Horn 

 (3, p. 302) published the original description of the species. 



In 1898 an editorial account of this species was given by Dr. 

 L. O. Howard (4), citing injury at Kennedy, Nebr., and Hill City, 

 S. Dak., previously considered in this bulletin under the heading 

 "Reports of injury," p. 4. 



In 1900 Messrs. Forbes and Hart (5, p. Jfll) published an account of 

 this species under the title "The western cabbage flea-beetle, Phyl- 

 lotreta albionica Lee," stating that it was reported by Bruner as 

 injuring sugar beets in Nebraska, and by Gillette as infesting cauli- 

 flower and other cruciferous plants and the bee-plant (Cleome 

 integrifolia) . 



In 1903 the writer published a brief account of this species under 

 its proper name, stating that it was observed doing considerable 

 damage to sugar beet in portions of Colorado during 1901, preferring 

 the younger plants (6, p. 18). s 



In 1909 this species was recorded (8, p.- 572) in brief as having 

 been very destructive to radish, turnip, cabbage, and some other 

 truck crops in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, in 1908. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The western cabbage flea-beetle is singularly free from natural 

 enemies. The three species, other than birds, which have come under 

 observation are all internal parasites. 



A BRACONID PARASITE. 



Perilitus epitricis Viereck, a braconid ichneumon-fly parasite of the 

 adult beetle, was found during practically all the three summer 

 months. It was most abundant from the latter part of June to the 

 latter part of July. Two adults emerged September 13, and one 

 larva was found the same date. The la'rva probably emerges through 

 the abdomen and under the elytra, although this point was not 



7 Figures (italic) in parentheses refer to "Literature cited," p. 21. 



8 Remarks made by Prof. R. A. Cooley (7, p. 260) that he believes this species to be the cause of complaints 

 of injury to turnip and cabbage in the Yellowstone Valley, Mont., may refer to the related Ph. albionica 

 Lee, although Ph. -pusilla is known to occur in that part of the State. 



