THE WESTERN CABBAGE FLEA-BEETLE. 13 
HISTORY AND LITERATURE. 
An account of this species, mentioned under the name of the Colo- 
rado cabbage flea-beetle (Phyllotreta albionica Lee), was published 
by Kiley in his 1884 report (1, p. 308), ? in which he stated that it was 
injurious to cabbage a.nd other cruciferous plants in June and July 
throughout the Kocky Mountain region of Colorado, having been 
found in great numbers at the very highest elevations. 
In 1889 Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell (2) mentioned this species under the 
same name, quoting from Kiley's report. In a footnote, written by 
hand in a copy of his paper, appears "Dr. Horn says this is pusilla 
Horn and not the true albionica Lee." The same year Dr. Horn 
(3, p. 302) published the original description of the species. 
In 1898 an editorial account of this species was given by Dr. 
L. O. Howard (4), citing injury at Kennedy, Nebr., and Hill City, 
S. Dak., previously considered in this bulletin under the heading 
"Keports of injury," p. 4. 
In 1900 Messrs. Forbes and Hart (5, p. 4-71) published an account of 
this species under the title "The western cabbage flea-beetle, Phyl- 
lotreta albionica Lee," stating that it was reported by Bruner as 
injuring sugar beets in Nebraska, and by Gillette as infesting cauli- 
flower and other cruciferous plants and the bee-plant {Cleome 
integrifolia) . 
In 1903 the writer published a brief account of this species under 
its proper name, stating ( that it was observed doing considerable 
damage to sugar beet in portions of Colorado during 1901, preferring 
the younger plants (6, p. 18). 8 
In 1909 this species was recorded (8, p. 572) in brief as having 
been very destructive to radish, turnip, cabbage, and some other 
truck crops in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, in 1908. 
NATURAL ENEMIES. 
The western cabbage flea-beetle is singularly free from natural 
enemies. The three species, other than birds, which have come under 
observation are all internal parasites. 
A BRACONID PARASITE. 
Perilitus epitricis Viereck, a braconid ichneumon-fly parasite of the 
adult beetle, was found during practically all the three summer 
months. It was most abundant from the latter part of June to the 
latter part of July. Two adults emerged September 13, aiid one 
larva was found the same date. The larva probably emerges through 
the abdomen and under the elytra, although this point was not 
7 Figures (italic) in parentheses refer to "Literature cited," p. 21. 
8 Remarks made by Prof. R. A. Cooley (7, p. 260) that he believes this species to be the cause of complaints 
of injury to turnip and cabbage in the Yellowstone Valley, Mont., may refer to the related Ph. albionica 
Lee, although Ph. pusilla is known to occur in that part of the State. 
