69 
although injury was not 'then noticeable the insects might do damage 
the following spring. Such a sequel is often to be expected, and it 
seems probable that many reported instances of injury by this and 
related forms of maggots are due to their habit of developing on 
decaying vegetable and other matter and afterwards attacking roots 
and taproots and other healthy vegetation of the vicinity. Most vege- 
tables, more particularly beans, peas, and maize, are subject to damage, 
and cabbage, turnip, radish, onions, and sweet potatoes are also much 
affected. The insect which is generally distributed in the United 
States is shown in its different stages in figure 65. It resembles the beet 
or spinach leaf -miner previously considered. The particularly distin- 
guishing characteristic of the fly consists of a row of short bristly 
hairs of nearly equal length on the inside of the posterior tibiae of the 
male (fig. 64, a). The length of the wing is about one-fifth and of 
Fig. M.—Pegornyaf.usciceps: a, male fly, dorsal view; b, female, lateral view; c, head of female, from 
above; d, larva, from side; e, anal segment of .larva; /, anal spiracles; g, thoracic spiracles; Ji, pupa- 
rium— all much enlarged (author's illustration, Division of Entomology). 
the body about one-sixth of an inch. The maggot as well as fly 
resembles the onion maggot. There is little doubt that this insect is 
of European origin, and it is certainly increasing in destructiveness 
in this countr}^ 
Remedies. — Owing to the difficulty of destroying subterranean pests 
and the cost of chemicals for the purpose, such as bisulphid of carbon, 
we have to depend more upon methods of prevention. One way of 
deterring the parent flies from depositing their eggs consists in the 
use of sand soaked in kerosene — a cupful to a bucket of dry sand — 
which is placed at the base of the plants, along the rows. This also 
kills 3"oung maggots that may attempt to work through the mixture. 
Fertilizers are also useful as deterrents, particularly when employed 
just before or after a shower has thoroughly wet the ground. They 
should be applied as nearly as possible to the roots, and the earth 
