The Asparagus Beetle. 185 
the roots of apple trees and accused of doing considerable 
injury. 
The young black-currant plants in the case under notice 
appeared perfectly healthy, and it was entirely by accident 
that the insects were discovered, as there was no suspicion of 
root disease. The question naturally arose as to whether it was 
desirable to plant black currants which had aphis at the root. 
Certainly the insects must be to some extent injurious, as, like 
all aphides, they live on the sap of the plant. Whether they 
ever do serious harm it is impossible at present to say, as no 
failure of plants clearly traceable to their agency has been 
recorded. It would be as well to wash the roots of infested 
plants, and to keep them under observation after transplanting. 
In case of failure without any obvious disease of the parts above 
ground the aphis would naturally be suspected, and examina- 
tion of the roots would show whether it was present in 
sufficient numbers to be a probable cause of the unsatisfactory 
condition of the plant. 
The forms most likely to be noticed on the roots are the 
wingless females and the pupae. The wingless females are 
yellowish, globular, mealy-looking creatures, without eyes and 
without cornicles (or honey-tubes). The head, antennae, and 
legs are brownish. The pupae, from which the wingless females 
are developed, are reddish-brown and possess eyes. The winged 
forms, which come above ground and spread the attack, have 
the front part of the body and the legs glossy-black and the 
abdomen slate-coloured. The creatures live together in little 
nests of white woolly material among the roots. 
The Asparagus Beetle ( Crioceris asparagi). 
This pest is too familiar to require description, the prettily 
marked little beetle being generally present to some extent in 
most asparagus beds, though only occasionally in such numbers 
as to prove troublesome. It lays its long dark-brown eggs 
both on the new shoots and on the foliage of the plant, and 
these hatch out in about a week into black-headed slaty grubs, 
which hold tight to their food not only by their six rather long 
legs, but by little tubercles under the hinder part of their body, 
so that it is not easy to dislodge them by shaking. They feed 
for about a fortnight, attaining a length of nearly half an inch, 
and then let themselves drop to the ground and form beneath 
its surface, or under the shelter of dead leaves, little yellow 
parchment-like cocoons. About a fortnight later the beetles 
emerge from these cocoons, but two or three days elapse before 
they come above ground to lay the eggs of a new brood. How 
many broods there are probably depends upon the season, but' 
three often occur. I have generally found the treatment 
