51 
from these eggs aud teed upon the roots of grasses and other plants. 
By October they are full-grown, but remain in this condition in the 
ground until spring, when they transform into pupae. This occurs 
about two or three weeks before the time of the emergence from the 
ground as beetles. 
. Dr. John B. Smith, of New Jersey, who has studied this insect 
under the most trying circumstances, when vineyards w r ere devas- 
tated in two or three days time, says:* ''Occasionally, for a series of 
years, the insects appear in ever-increasing abundance, until the 
swarms are so great that they ruin not only vineyards, but orchards 
and gardens, eating almost every kind of fruit and flower. * * * 
Fortunately, a period of abnormal increase seems to be followed by a 
period of decrease, though the lengths of the periods have not been 
ascertained." 
Remedies. — Under ordinary circumstances when but few insects 
appear, the vineyardist will consider the loss of a few' berries too 
insignificant to undertake any warfare, but some good may be ac- 
complished by the use of four otunes of Paris green in fifty gallons 
of water sprayed upon the vines where the insects are feeding. This 
remedy is better if four pounds of lime are added. The insects killed 
by such measures would greatly reduce the number of insects of the 
succeeding brood. When the rose-chafers appear in swarms, insecti- 
cides are too slow in their action to save the threatened crop. The 
only effectual method of removing the insects then is to pick them 
by hand, using a funnel over a bucket containing some kerosene and 
knocking the beetles into it. Enough men must be employed to ac- 
complish the work quickly and it must be repeated not only every 
day, but several times each day until the period of their presence is 
completed. 
These beetles are not likely to become so numerous in regions 
where sandy soils are not found. 
THE GRAPE-VINE FLEA-BEETLE. 
(Haltica chalybea.) 
Some injury has been sustained in the vineyards of Erie county, 
due to the Grape-vine Flea-beetle, also known as the "steel bug," 
from the steel blue color of its wing covers. Recently, its presence 
in large numbers has been reported from Cumberland county. Both 
the beetles and their larvae feed upon the young tender foliage of 
the grape-vine. 
Description. — This beetle is a shining blue-black creature (some- 
times having a greenish color) about one-fifth of an inch long, having 
the habit of most flea-beetles of jumping w r hen approached. These 
•Economic Entomology, by John B. Smith. 
