COLEOPTEEA OR BEETLES. 131 



but anniliilated the orange - groves of California, has been 

 checked, and almost destroyed, by the importation into America 

 of the lady-bird {VedaMa cardinalis) which feeds upon that 

 scale in Australia. Some lady-birds of the genus Epilachna do 

 much harm by eating leafage in America. 



The Pseudotetramera contain the following important in- 

 jurious species : — 



The Turnip Flea-beetle (Haltica nemoeum). 



The Turnip Flea, or Fly as it is popularly called, belongs 

 to the family Halticidse. These Flea-beetles are small insects 

 with enlarged posterior femora, and feed off a great variety of 

 plants. At least two species may be found on root-crops, especi- 

 ally turnips, namely, HaUica nenwrum and H. concinna. The 

 latter is generally termed the Hop Flea on account of the harm 

 it does to the bine. The Turnip Flea (H. nemorum) is a small 

 beetle, about one-twelfth of an inch in length ; its wing-covers 

 or elytra are shiny black, each having a clear yellow stripe 

 running down the middle and bending round at the end. They 

 are called Flea-beetles because they have the same saltatorial 

 habits as those nimble degenerate flies from which they take 

 their name. The adult insects hibernate, and on the first warm 

 days of spring come forth to get ready for their ravages upon 

 the turnips and other cultivated Cruciferse when they come 

 above-ground. The winter hibernators seem at first to feed 

 upon charlock and other cruciferous weeds, such as Shepherd's 

 purse and Jack-by -the-hedge ; but as soon as the turnips show 

 above-ground, away they fly and nip off the two cotyledons just 

 below their junction, thus completely destroying the young 

 plant. Should the weather be warm and dry, the damage they 

 do is tremendous, often necessitating two or even three sowings 

 of seed before a plant can be obtained. They are very sus- 

 ceptible to damp and cold, and then become sluggish, — a 



