148 COLEOPTERA OR BEETLES. 



summer the pupa hatches out in about two weeks into the 

 mature lady-bird, which soon commences to carry on the good 

 work of clearing off the fly, started during its larval career. 



The importance of these insectivorous allies cannot be over- 

 estimated. The destructive scale, Icerya jmrchasi, which all 

 but annihilated the orange - groves of California, has been 

 checked, and almost destroyed, by the importation into America 

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

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

 much harm by eating leafage of plants in Africa, America, &c. 

 These destructive lady-birds can be told by having pubescent 

 wing cases. 



The Pseudotetramera contain the following important in- 

 jurious species : — 



The Turnip Flea-beetle (Phyllotrbta xejiorum). 



The Turnip Fleas or Fly, as they are popularly called, belong 

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

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

 plants. Several species may be found on root-crops, especially 

 turnips, namely P. nemomm, P. miriferoi, and Plectivscelis 

 coneinna. The latter is generally termed the Hop Flea, on 

 account of the harm it does to the hopbine. The Turnip Flea 

 (P. 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 Crucifer» 

 when they come above-ground. The winter hibernators at first 

 feed upon charlock and other cruciferous weeds, such as 



