28 



of mention: July 23, 1886, Mr. E. W. Allis sent specimens of the 

 beetle to this office, with the accompanying information that the species 

 had been very destructive to early sugar beets that year at Adrian, 

 Mich. A neighbor, Mr. H. C. Bradish, was also much annoyed with 

 this beetle. Our correspondent noticed the abundance of the beetles 

 on "hogweed," presumably Ambrosia artemisiarfolia. June 21, 1891, 

 the species was received from Mr. M. H. Beckwith, Newark, Del., 

 with the report that it was injuring the leaves of potato. May 25, 

 1893, Mr. J. G. Taylor, Harrison, Ark., sent beetles with the state- 

 ment that they were injuring pear leaves, eating them partially, so 

 that they colored and dried up. The damage was most apparent on 

 young budded nursery stock of that spring's growth. The beetles were 

 to a lesser extent injurious to foliage of young apple trees. 



There are also specimens in the National collection labeled "on 

 peas," and others "on peanuts," but without locality. There is also 

 a note referring to the last specimens, stating that the beetles were 

 destroying peanuts. The locality in the last case is probably St. Louis, 

 Mo. ; the date June, 1874. 



PROBABILITY OF A SECOND GENERATION. 



Adults have been taken by the writer in numbers as late as Septem- 

 ber 17 in past years in central New Jersey, and this late occurrence of 

 the beetles, taken together with their observed issuance as early as the 

 middle of June, has disposed the writer to the belief that there is 

 probably a second generation of this species in a latitude like that of 

 the District of Columbia, although an experiment that was made for 

 the purpose of testing the matter met with negative results. 



July 28, 1899, a considerable number of beetles were placed in a 

 large rearing cage with a healthy potted plant of Ambrosia artemisice- 

 folia. It was examined about a month later and no trace of larvae 

 could be found, but the plant had begun to wither at this time. 

 Although this is not conclusive evidence that there is not a later gen- 

 eration of S. blanda, it is significant as indicating the probability that 

 the insects do not deposit eggs ordinarily after the end of July. 



SUMMARY OF LIFE HISTORY. 



From what has been recorded it is obvious that there is much to 

 learn before we know even approximately the life history of this 

 species, as, for example, when it makes its first appearance and begins 

 egg laying, how and where the eggs are deposited, the period of ovula- 

 tion, a full list of the larval food plants, and whether the species is 

 single or double brooded. 



At the present time we know that the species hibernates as a beetle, 

 and appears above ground in this vicinity early in June; that egg 



