POTATO FLEA-liEETLE. 43 



"sliver", but a "pimple" may or may not be produced. In 1894 

 this trouble was sufficiently common in Eastern Long Island 

 to attract the attention of the farmers. The following year 

 buyers were on the lookout for potatoes thus affected and of- 

 fered a reduced price for them. 



The adult beetle fFig. 13 j is a small insect about one-twelfth 

 of an inch in length with black bod}^ and dull yellow legs, and 

 antennae. Its hind legs (Fig 17) are particularly stout and 

 adapted for jumping, hence the name "flea-beetle." It is often 

 called the cucumber flea-beetie because it was originally des- 

 cribed as feeding on the cucumber ; but this name is rather a mis- 

 nomer, as the insect feeds by preference upon plants of the 

 family Solanaceae which includes the potato and the tomato. 

 ■ The genus Mpitrix to which this insect belongs may be dis- 

 tinguished from its nearest allies by the following characters; 

 very small convex species, bearing on its upper surface short, 

 semierect hairs, sparsely placed over the thorax and arranged 

 in a single row on each interval of the wing covers. The head 

 has an oblique ridge each side extending from the end of the 

 frontal carina to the eye and limited above by an impressed 

 line, the two forming together a broad V. The front angles of 

 the thorax are obliquely truncate with a small tooth behind 

 t'le truncation. Several species are known from the Cinited 

 States of which three may occur in Maine. The species under 

 consideration differs from its nearest relatives in having the 

 thorax finely but not densely punctate, (Fig. 14) the punctures 

 well separated, the ante basal impression well marked : the striae 

 of the wing covers, especially those nearest the suture, very 

 feeble, the punctures round, not crowded, the upper surface of 

 the body shining piceous. The antennae and legs are reddish 

 yellow, only the femora are darker, somewhat oblong. The 

 thorax is nearly twice as wide as long, slightly wider at the base 

 than the thorax, the umbone rather prominent. Length 1.5 to 2 

 millimeters (1-16 to 1-12 inch). 



HOST PLANTS. 



This insect feer's by preference on the member? of the 

 :>o!auaccac or Nightshade family embracing the potato (Sola- 

 nxun tuhcrosuin), the wonder berr}- (S. nigrum I'ar.). bitter- 

 sweet or blue bind weed {S. Dulccmwro ) Jerusalem cherry. 



