UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



NwJb BULLETIN No. 967 



mMr'^'^fSr' Contribution from the Bureau of Entomotogy 



^^'^^ L. O. HOWARD. Chief ^^H^U-t. 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



October 14, 1921 



RESULTS OF WORK ON BLISTER BEETLES EN 



KANSAS. 



F. B. MiLLiKEx. Scie)i1ifi<- J^•.v/^^///^ TiKik-Croij Insect Inv€stigati(/ns. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



I'2couomic importanco 2 



Injury to crops 3 



Food plants 3 



Classification of species studied 4 



Description of ilrlnr sp 4 



Description of CantJujris reticu- 

 lata Say 5 



Key to species of Epicauta and 

 Macrobasis collected at Garden 



City, Kans 5 



Character of additional data on Mac- 

 robasis and Epicauta 7 



Results of work on Macrobasis 7 



Descriptive 7 



Macrobasis immaculata Say 7 



Macrobasig ttnicolor Kirby 



Life liistory and habits 10 



Macrobasis immaculata Say 10 



Macrobasis unicolor Kirby li' 



Page. 



Results of work on Epicauta 12 



Descriptive 12 



Epicauta inaculata Say 12 



Epicauta cinerea Eorst 13 



Epicauta .sericans Lee 14 



Epicauta prtinsiilranica De G__ 15 



Life history and habits 15 



Epicauta inaculata Say 15 



Epicauta cinerea Forst 16 



Epicauta sericans Lee 17 



Epicauta pcimsylranica De G__ 17 



Irregular development 17 



Control measures 21 



Effect of arsenicals, contact insec- 

 ticides, and repellents 21 



Control measures in infested fields- 23 



Driving 25 



Summary of control measures 25 



INTRODUCTION. 



In the drier portions of western Kansas and adjoining States the 

 insect fauna is particularly rich in blister beetles. Besides those of 

 common occurrence elsewhere there are several species that are char- 

 acteristic of the region. The native grasshoppers develop regularly 

 in considerable numbers, thus insuring sustenance for some, at least, 

 of the blister-beetle larvae. Tlie beetles feed on native legumes and 

 other plants that root deeply and make some gi'owth even when 

 cultivated crops and shallow-rooted weeds die of drought. 



The abundance of blister beetles in this region was noted by early 

 entomologists, mostly systematists, who chanced through the western 

 and southwestern Ignited States: but it remained for Dr. C. V. Riley, 

 48.^62°— -21 1 



