UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1243 



Washington, D. C. ▼ Angusl, 1924 



STUDIES OF THE MEXICAN BEAN BEETLE' IN THE SOUTHEAST. 1 



By Neale F. Howard, Entomologist, and L. L. English, Junior Entomologist, 

 Truck Crop Insect Investigations, Bureau of Entomology. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Description 3 



Distribution 4 



Naturalspread 5 



Life history and habits 6 



Seasonallife history 11 



Page. 



Food plants 14 



Hibernation 17 



Natural control 25 



Generalmethods of control 29 



Artificial control 30 



Summary of control recommendations 48 



Summary 49 



INTRODUCTION. 



Wherever it occurs the Mexican bean beetle is by far the most 

 serious enemy of beans. It has been known for about 75 years 

 in the Southwest, where it has undoubtedly been established for a 

 longer period. It was long ago reported that in Colorado its possi- 

 bilities as a pest were greater than those of the Colorado potato 

 beetle. . Id many sections in the Southeast it is often the determining 

 factor in the growing of beans. 



The original home of this beetle is southern North America. It 

 occurs in many parts of Mexico and in Guatemala. 



The species was first discovered in the Southeast in 1920, when 

 specimens were received at the Alabama Experiment Station from 

 Blocton and Birmingham, Ala. Authentic reports by various 

 growers indicate that the insect was not at all uncommon about 

 Birmingham in 1919, and it is presumed that it reached Alabama at 

 least as early as 1918. 



It has been pointed out by Dr. W. E. Hinds that during the recent 

 European war large shipments of alfalfa hay from the West were 

 received in northern Alabama, and it is possible that the insect 

 was introduced with these shipments, the infestation originating 

 from the Southwest rather than from Mexico. In 1921 the insect 

 was reported from Thomasville, Ga., by S. E. McClendon, the infes- 

 tation indicating the presence of the beetle there for at least one 

 year before that time. 



1 Epilachna corrupta Muls.; order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae. 



2 Report on research investigations on the Mexican bean beetle conducted during the years 1921 and 1922. 

 During 1921 the project was carried on cooperatively with the Alabama Experiment Station. 



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