
98 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE POTATO. 
All through these places for several years farmers all were discouraged 
with attempting to raise potatoes, and therefore did not plant largely ; some 
abandoned the crop in disgust. e above figures I obtained from par- 
ties buying and selling, and learned from them that potatoes were abun- 
ant. 
I invariably inquired of farmers regarding the Colorado potato beetle. 
all knew it very well, but explained the cause of its diminution, by 
supposing that it had passed by them, travelling north and east; forget- 
ting that insects travel in dasti of food and breeding grounds, and not to 
make m money, see the country or their friends, or for any other pleasure, 
as does the human animal. They all knew that the bugs were plenty in 
the sod but not in midsummer and autumn. As this peculiar phe- 
noted at my home, I am persuaded that it was due to the same cause, in 
a slight degree to insect enemies, but chiefly to climatic causes, i. e., the 
hot dry weather. 
now convinced beyond a doubt, that the dryness of the summer 
was the only efficient restraining cause, although my friends Messrs. 
Fig. 20. Wal M and Riley differ entirely from this 
view. the “American Entomologist,” 
(Vol.I, ut 2 and 2) where they figure quite 
a host of the enemies of the Colorado po- 
tato bug, some of which are inserted in the 
present article, but do not even notice the 
great climatic enemy that worked so faith- 
fully and effectually everywhere during the 
past summer. 
i AME S with much gratitude the small 
part of the work done by these **bug foes," 
and I hope that the editors ont Miei will excuse a passing review. 
Lady-birds doubtless eat the eggs of some potato bug, but many such 
reports came to my ears through farmers and Fig.21. 
agriculturists and were not at all reliable. 
fortunately, as I have observed, Lady-birds i 
devour Lady-bird's eges about as frequently as 
any other eggs, and none but entomologists ob- 
serve the pulido. hence I seldom notice such 
reports, at least in print, without personal in- - 
vestigation. di Many-banded Robber (Har- @ b e 
pactor cinctus Fabr., Fig. 20) will not do much work, for, although they 


box with young Colorado potato bugs, as I have a thus prov- 
ing that they must have other and better food. very same, enue 
may be true (reasoning from analogy) of ti aa principal heterop- 
terous enemy, the Spined Soldier-bug (Arma spinosa Dallas, Fig. eer a, 
: its beak; c, the beak of the — s Say, which closely resem- 

