THE BEA1ST LADYBIRD. 13 



During January, 1919, A. E. Mallory, scientific assistant, wrote in 

 regard to the occurrence of this species at Greeley, Colo., that he had 

 observed the beetles feeding on the underside of the leaves of the 

 mammoth soy bean {Soja Mspida) in that vicinity. The previous 

 December he found the beetles hibernating under a pile of bean vines. 

 Until the receipt of this last record the species was believed to feed 

 exclusively on table beans. 



February 11, 1919, W. A. Williams, Yenus, N. Mex., reported in- 

 juries by this species to pinto beans in that vicinity. Failure to 

 obtain rain was ascribed as one of the causes of injury. Mr. Wil- 

 liams stated that " on beans these little ' bugs ' eat the leaves full of 

 holes and damage the crop considerably." During January and 

 February a number of other complaints were made of injury by this 

 species in New Mexico and Colorado. Other complaints of injury, 

 unaccompanied by specimens, and requests for information in regard 

 to methods of control have been received from other sources, notablj- 

 Parsons. Kans., Jemez Springs and Nogal, N. Mex., Griffith, Colo., 

 and Kirklancl, Ariz. 



■ April 3, 1919, the State entomologist, Dr. C. P. Gillette, collabora- 

 tor, wrote in regard to the occurrence of this species in Colorado as 

 follows : 



We have records of this species from the points which you mention and 

 others near them, and also from Nucla, in the Paradox Valley, Montrose 

 County ; from Cortez, in Montezuma County ; and from near Greeley, in Weld 

 County. It seems likely that the infestations in the southwestern part of the 

 State are from New Mexico. It has seemed very strange to me that this 

 heetle keeps so close to the foothills, never going out far upon the plains, except 

 down the Arkansas Valley. The beetle was abundant here when I first arrived 

 at Fort Collins, 28 years ago, and it apparently has never occurred as far east 

 as Greeley, about 24 miles from the foothills. I have found it to be a species 

 about equally abundant every year, although there is some fluctuation in num- 

 bers. It was very bad last year in the northern section, from Pueblo to Fort 

 Collins, along the eastern foothills, and extended a few miles into the plains. 



Writing on this species September 2, 1919, Mr. Fabian Garcia, hor- 

 ticulturist, New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station, State Col- 

 lege, N. Mex., stated that this insect is a serious pest in New Mexico, 

 particularly in the older bean-growing sections, and that it causes 

 the bean growers there a lot of trouble and expense. He expressed 

 the opinion that the losses could be materially reduced by properly 

 spraying. 



NATURAL CONTROL. 



EFFECT OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. 



Cold weather appears to be the most important natural check to 

 the development of the bean ladybird in Colorado. This insect is a 

 southern species which apparently has not become fully adapted to 



