CHAPTEE, V. 

 THE DISEASES OF MISCELLANEOUS CEOPS. 



(1) ThePabasites of Asparagus {Asparagus officinalis). 



The Asparagus Beetle {Crioceris asparagi) is about 

 a quarter of an inch in length, with a body of a blue- 

 black colour. The yellowish elytra are adorned with a 

 central black cross and black spots. The dark-coloured, 

 oval eggs are deposited by the female beetle on the 

 flower-buds of asparagus plants. The larvse are '' short, 

 fleshy, and dingy grubs ; w;ith six short legs and a double 

 series of fleshy tubercles along the lower svirface of the 

 abdominal segments, which also serva as legs." These 

 grubs, having previously eaten the leaves and soft shoots 

 of the host-plants, retreat to the earth, where they spin a 

 cocoon in which they change to the pupal stage. In about 

 sixteen days the pupae are transformed into perfect insects. 

 There are several broods of this insect during the season 

 (June to September). 



M. Lucas {Annales de la 8oci4t6 Entomologique de 

 France, 1888) recently discovered two natural enemies 

 of Crioceris asparagL One is the Calocons chenopodii 

 (belonging to' the Heteroptera), which sucks the juices 

 from the larvse of the asparagus beetle ; while the other 

 is an internal parasite {Myobia pumila). The pupse of 

 this Tachinid fly is transformed into the perfect insect 

 within the skins of the Crioceris larvae. 



