1360 



FAMILY LXIV. — MET-OID.T,. 



of the antenna-. The first joint is usually shorter, rarely equal to, 



and never hm-iei than the third, 

 and the second joint is never 

 greater in length than half the 

 third. Epicaufa vittata and E. 

 mnraituifa (Fig. 591). are both 

 kno\'s-n as "old-fashioned potato 

 bugs, ' ' and frequently appear in 

 swarins in late summer and 

 sweep through a garden or field 

 before the farmer realizes the 

 nature of the attack. They es- 

 ]>e'^-ia]ly favor beets and certain 

 rViinjjcsita' when in flower. As 

 a rule they disappear as sud- 

 denly as they come, sume species 

 being found in swarms on one 

 dav onlv. Others remain a wee's 



Fig. .591 (.Mter Forbes.) 



or two and are then best gathered into kerrisene pans, if at all pos- 

 sible. The arsenites Idll them slowly, and a swarm that feeds for 

 a day or two before application is made and a day or two before 

 the specimens die has done aboat as much injury as would have 

 been caused without treatment of any kind. Driving them off ^vith 

 bushes wielded by hand is sometimes practiced with fair sueeess and 

 may be resorted to when circumstances favor the method.'" Six 

 species of the genus have been taken in the State, while one other 

 may occur. 



KEY TO INniAXA SPECIES OF EPICAlT.i. 



a. Antennal joints of equal thicknes.i throiiglioiit. eyliudrical and eidsely 

 united; eyes nearly ns wide a'; long, feebly nr not emarginate in 

 front. 

 h. Head les>; densely i nnctiu-e<l than thorax, u.^nally brick red behind 

 the eyes. •2."23. tbichbus. 



lih. Head and thriax simihirly iranctured, the former always Mack; ely- 

 ti-a clothed with dense inay or siayish-yellow inibeseeuce. 

 c. Thorax lonL'er than wide, ih-iisely pnljescent with a dark line each 

 side of middle. strigos.\. 



c-r. Thorax as wide as lonsr. raoderati-ly shining, rather coarsely and 

 densely punetiu-ed. 2.-,i;4. i-erkigixe.x. 



an. Auteiiiial joiuts on apical half always ninve slender, loosely united and 

 mf.re or less eouijjrpssed : eyes always loii-'or than wide. emai-Lrinate 

 in front, more finely trranulate and less |,romineiit than in these pre- 

 ceding. 

 fl. Elytra elny yellow, each with two black strii>es. l'.",2.'. vittat.\. 



