TJ. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 82, Part I. Issued July 28, 1909. 
SOME INSECTS INJURIOUS TO TRUCK CROPS. 
THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE IN VIRGINIA IN 1908. 
By C. H. Popenoe, Agent and Expert. 
[In cooperation with the Virginia Truck Experiment Station.] 
INTRODUCTION. 
The tidewater region of Virginia, which comprises Norfolk, Princess 
Anne, Nansemond, and Isle of Wight counties on the western and 
southern, and Northampton and Accomac counties on the eastern 
shore of the Chesapeake Bay, is probably the greatest center for the 
production of early potatoes in the eastern United States. The 
value of the potato crop shipped from these counties approaches 
$6,000,000 annually. Two crops are raised over a small portion of 
this area, while over the greater part, including the counties of Nor- 
folk and Princess Anne, only a single planting is made, the potatoes 
being planted during the latter part of February and the first of 
March, and the crop of new potatoes being harvested in June. As 
this crop is not carried through to maturity, new potatoes being the 
desired product, the action of the late blight is not apparent until the 
crop is ready to harvest and is, therefore, given little consideration as 
a pest. As the early blight does little injury to the plants, the 
Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) becomes the 
worst drawback to the culture of the potato in this locality. The 
long growing season and the inefficient methods employed for the 
control of this insect pest afford it an unusual opportunity for injury 
over a wide area. In only a few cases are effective methods of 
application practiced, and for this reason demonstration and experi- 
mental work have been thought advisable for the locality. 
STATUS OF THE POTATO BEETLE IN VIRGINIA. 
Owing to the employment of negro labor and the scarcity of capable 
white help the methods for the control of the potato beetle over this 
area are necessarily crude. While the insects are in hibernation no 
effort is made for their destruction, the first attempt to control the 
species being the hand picking of hibernated beetles from the vines 
1 
