196 



INJURIOUS INSECTS AXD FUNGI. 



The Asparagus Beetle [Crwcerts Asparagi). 



This beetle often does much harm to asparagus, especially 

 in beds which have been established from one to three 

 years, by eating and disfiguring the heads as they are 

 formed, and later on by attacking the stems and seeds, 

 of which it is particularly fond, both in the beetle and 

 larval stages. In the beetle stage these insects bite the 

 tender asparagus heads while these are yet underground, or 

 only just showing above the ground, making brown patches 

 upon them, and spoiling their appearance for market. 

 Later on the beetles also eat the feathery shoots of the 

 plants, as well as the large round seeds, to which they are 

 very partial. A beetle will eat a considerable quantity of the 

 tender feather}' shoots in the course of a day. The larvae 

 are also most voracious, and sometimes, in bad cases of 

 infestation, the long- stems of the plants are left completely 

 bare of foliage by successions of larvae. 



The Asparagus Beetle is common in the southern, eastern, 

 and western parts of England, but it is rarely found in the 

 northern districts. Canon Fowler, in his Coleoptera of the 

 British Isles, states that he does not know ot a record from 

 any locality farther north than South Derbyshire. It is 

 known in France,* Germany, and Italy, and probably 

 throughout Europe. 



In the United States, where it was introduced from Europe 

 in 1S58, it has spread very rapidly. It was first seen at 

 Astoria, in Long Island, where asparagus is largely grown, 

 and by the year 1S62 the beetle had spread throughout the 

 asparagus beds of Long Island. 



* Boisduval says that the asparagus growers of Argenteuil. in France, complain 

 that it is very detrimental to their asparagus culture. 



