oo 
360 ReEporT OF THE ENTOMOLOGISTS OF THE 
under the circumstances to review briefly the life history of this 
insect, and state the methods of combating it which have thus far 
been found successful. 
LIFE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTIONS. 
The adults.— The adult insects are shining steel blue flea beetles 
measuring about one-fifth of an inch in length. (Plate XXX, Fig. 
3, a.) They jump quickly upon being disturbed. “This flea-like 
habit has given them their name. ‘They live during the winter in 
rubbish about the field or under the loose bark of the old vines. 
Last vear they were active before the middle of April, and soon 
began feeding voraciously on the buds. So severe was this at- 
tack in some of the Keuka Lake vineyards that nearly all of the 
first and second buds were destroyed. 
The egg.— Eggs are laid during the latter part of April or early 
in May. It is the commonly accepted statement that the eggs 
are placed in clusters on the under side of the leaves. From the 
writer’s observations there appear to be many exceptions to this, 
if indeed it is usually the case. A number of beetles which were 
kept in a breeding cage in the insectary deposited all of their eggs 
near or upon the buds or in the angles at the base of the leaf stem 
as shown at Plate XXX, Figs. 1 and 2. The eggs were not de- 
posited in clusters but singly. _ Although it was late in the season 
before field observations were made the eggs then found had been 
placed singly, either at the base of the buds or, occasionally, upon 
the upper or under surface of the leaves. Most of the eggs proba- 
bly hatch early in May. ; 
The larva.— The young larve are dark brown in color. At 
first they devour only the soft parts of the leaf, but finally eat 
clear through the tissue, making irregular holes. They are full 
- grown in about four weeks. The full grown larva measures 
nearly one-fourth of an inch in length and is lighter brown than 
when first hatched. The head is black and each segment of the 
body is distinctly marked with shining black dots and patches from 
