THE DESERT CORN FLEA-BEETLE. 



seasons of the year when these grasses are flourishing the adult 

 beetles can be found feeding upon the leaves, while the larvse can be 

 taken from the roots. 



Of the cultivated crops, this beetle seems to be especially fond of 

 corn, milo maize, and Sudan grass, and it is to these crops that it does 

 the greatest damage. It has been taken in both the adult and larval 

 stages, feeding upon Indian corn, milo maize, kafir corn, sorghum, 

 sugar cane, Sudan grass, wheat, barley, and alfalfa, and Mr. R. N. 

 Wilson reported it as doing exceedingly great damage to a field of 

 beans on a ranch southeast of Tempe, Ariz. Accordmg to the state- 

 ment of Mr. E. W. Hudson, many young bamboo plants growing on 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry Experimental Farm at Sacaton, Ariz., 

 were entirely killed. Dr. F. H. Chittenden has on file a record by Mr. 

 E. L. Ci'ow, showmg that the beetle, besides feeding on corn, Johnson 

 grass, and barley, occasionally attacks cantaloupes; and one by Mr. 

 E. S. G. Titus, reporting it as feeding upon sugar beets 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



THE ADULT. 



One is hardly hkely to confuse this flea-beetle with any other 

 occun'ing in the areas where corn, wheat, barley, and Sudan grass are 



seriously injured. Only one other re- 

 sembling it in size, color, and jumping 

 habits occurs in these semiarid regions 

 in any number. This is the western 

 cabbage flea-beetle (Phyllotreta pusilla 

 Lee.) which occurs on cruciferous plants, 

 and which differs in being slightly longer 



Fio. 1.— Thf! (Ios«rf.com flnii-bpotlr! ( Chaetocnema fctypn): Adult, dorsal vlow; «, sairic, lulorul view in out- 

 \\w.. (iT('.o,\.\y orilurgod. (Original.) 



and ill liaviiig a more pointed ubdomc^n than the desert corn flea-b(U'!tlo. 

 Th(! eastern <-.orn flcn-bectlo (C'/Kutonif'/ma jmlicaria Crotcli) occurs in 



