THE LEAF BEETLES. 



1173 



*21?1 (6885). Diabeotica vittata Fabr., Syst. Ent, 1775, 122. 



Oblong-oval. Pale yellow above; head, seutellum, 

 one common sutural and a discal stripe on each ely- 

 tron, black; under surface, antennae, except the Hire;' 

 basal joints, knees, front tibiae, tips of middle and hind 

 tibia? and tarsi piceous. Thorax one-fourth wider than 

 long, sides curved in front; disk smooth hut with two 

 deep fovea?. Elytra rather broadly striate, the striae 

 each with two rows of punctures, intervals convex, 

 subcostate. Length 4.5-G mm. (Fig. 513.) 



Throughout the State; common. Known as 

 the "striped cucumber beetles, 1 ' and very in- 

 jurious to cucumber and melon vines. Hiber- Fig 51.3. 

 nates beneath rubbish in the vicinity of gardens (After Ch:ttenden ' ) 

 and melon patches. February 7-December 11. Mating April 26 in 

 numbers on the flowers of Crataegus and wild plum ; also taken at 

 sap. The beetle eats into the stems of the melon vines at the sur- 

 face and the larvae mines in them a little under ground. "Remedial 

 measures vary and generally result in an effort to keep away the 

 beetles until the vines are well established. This is sometimes ac- 

 complished by planting an excess of seed so as to allow the insects 

 to kill a number of the plants and yet leave enough for the farmer; 

 sometimes ground tobacco at the base of the plant is used as a repel- 

 lant, and this is good if it be ground fine. The beetles may also be 

 driven away with air-slaked lime or plaster. Occasionally carbol- 

 ized lime or plaster is used, and sometimes kerosene or turpentine 

 is mixed with plaster. All these are good, and the best is that which 

 succeeds best with the individual farmer. ' ' * 



XLVII. Paratriarius Schf. 1907. (Gr., "near + Triarius.") 



This genus was established to embrace the long lost Galeruca 

 dor sat a Say which was rediscovered by Dury near Cincinnati in 

 1903. It is a small-sized oblong-oval species having the antenna 

 longer than half the body, first joint stout, slightly larger than 

 fourth, second small, third and following suhecjual, the fifth to 

 seventh broadly dilated on outer side in male; elytral punctures 

 confused ; legs slender, all the tibiae with minute spurs ; first joint of 

 hind tarsi as long as the next three together ; claws deeply bifid, the 

 inner lobes convergent and touching. 



2172 ( ). Paratriarius dorsata Say. Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., III. 



1824, 456 ; ibid. IT. 221. 

 Oblong-oval. Front of head, thorax, under surface, legs and narrow 

 border of elytra pale yellow; vertex black; elytra bluish-green, shining; an- 



*J. B. Smith, Cat, N. J. Insects, 1899, 310, 



