320 [ AssEMBLY 
Tue Asparaaus BErrur, 
On June 10 we noticed an unfamiliar insect feeding upon the foli- 
age of asparagus. We submitted samples of it to Prof. J. A. Lint- 
ner, State Entomologist, who pronounced it the asparagus beetle, 
Crioceris asparage L., and stated that, so.far as he knew, this was 
the first appearance of the insect in Western New York. As this 
pest is little known to the farmers of New York, we submit a brief 
account of its appearance and habits condensed from Prof. Lintner’s 
first annual report. 
The asparagus beetle first appeared in this country in the year 
1859, at Astoria, near the western end of Long Island. It was in- 
troduced from Europe, where, strange to say, it is not injurions. 
Its spread since its introduction has been ver y slow, and up to the 
past season very little seems to have been heard of it except in Long 
Island and New Jersey. The injuries wrought by it are very seri- 
ous when the attack is severe, often necessitating plowing up whole. 
tields of asparagus. 
The small blackish brown eggs of the beetle are deposited on end, 
on the young plant, usually in rows of two to seven. When the 
plants are grown the eggs are deposited on the leaves near the ends 
of the delicate branches. 
The greatest length of the young larva is about one-fourth of an 
inch. ‘It is of an obscure olive, or dull ash gray color, often with 
a blackish stripe along the middle of the back. It is soft and of x 
flesh-like consistency, about three times as long as thick, thickest 
back of the middle with the body much wrinkled transversely. 
The head is black and shining, and the neck, which is thicker than 
the head, has two shining black spots above. Three pairs of legs 
are placed anteriorly upon the breast, and are of the same shining 
black color with the head. As will be seen when it is crawling, the 
larva clings also with the tip end of the body, and all along its under 
side may then be seen two rows of small tubercles slightly project- 
ing from the surface which serve as prolegs in addition to the tip of 
its body. Above these tubercles on each side is a row of elevated 
shining dots like warts, above which the breathing pores appear like 
a row of minute dots.” (Fitch.) The average length of the beetle 
isa little less than one-fourth of an inch. “The head is black with 
the first three joints of the short antennae smaller and differently 
colored than the remainder. The tinely punctured thorax is tawny 
red marked more or less distinctly on its crown with two black spots. 
The wing covers are punctured in rows, and usually appear of a 
Jemon color, broken into three spots on each, by a black stripe along 
their j unetion, a black transverse band a little behind their middle, 
and an interrupted one near their tips. Outwardly the wing covers 
are bordered with orange. The body beneath, and the Tees are 
shining black, the latter sometimes showing a yellowish band upon 
them. The wing covers marked as above suggest a representation 
of a black cross upon the back, for which reason it is sometimes 
known in England as the ‘cross bearer.’”? Another variety of the 
beetle differs considerabl y in its markings from the above description. 
