Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-06-29
Is it the Colorado Potato
Bug.

Specimens of new species o.
bugs that are quite largely infest
ing the potato vines in this vicinity
have been left at the Beacon Office
They are of dark yellowish color
oval shape, black head, "a black semi
circle on the first section of the
body, directly back ofthe head, two
black dotted lines upon each side ol
the body, two black stripes, cross
wise of the tail, with six black legs
1t does not quite answer to the fol
lowing descrition given of the Col
orado Bug by Mr.. A. B. Buttles OF
Columbus, the bug before usihaving
nothing about it in the semblance
Of wings or wing cases. OF the po
tato bug now committing it's rava-
ges in Franklin Co. Mr.. Buttles
says:
The proper name for this bug is
DOryphora deceno lineata, or ten
lived spearman, and it is entirely
different form, and much more de-
structive than, the common potato
bug or blister fly-indeed the latter
may be said to be almost harmless
in comparison with this fearful pest.
This is about three eights of an
inch long, oval shaped, of a pale
yellow color, and has five black
stripes on each wing cover. 1t
comes out of its winter quarters in
the ground, in May, oras soon as
the potatoes hpve started, and soon
commences to deposits its eggs,
which are light yellow, in clusters
Of twenty to thirty ON the under
side of the leaves of the potato, to
the amount of about seven hundred.
These are hatched into Larvae in
about six days which Immediately
feeding upon the plant
and attain their growth in about two
weeks; they then descend into the
ground, where they pass into the
pupa state, and come out again in
the the shape of perfect beetles in
from ten to fifteen days. 1t will be
thus seen that it only takes about
fifty days from egg to egg, and the
increase would be enormous during
a season, if the eggs were not de-
streyed in some manner.
The Colorado potato bug started
out on its devastating tour from its
native home in the canons of the
Rocky Mountains, in 1859, invaded
Iowa and Northern Missouri in
1861, crossed the Mississippi in
1864, spread over Illinois and Wis
consin, appeared in about the cen
ter of Indiana in 1868. 1t thus ap-
peared in about the centre of Ind.
in 1868. 1t thus appears that its
progress toward the East has been
about sixty miles year, and its ad-
vent was hardly looked for in this
part of Ohio before another year.
1t is, however, here now probably
in every field of potatoes in the
county, and is matter of serious
how best to guard
against it. Lime, plaster, coal oil
and every known insect destroyer
mas been tried with but little if any
success. Neither ducks, turkeys,
geese or chickens will touch the
beetle or its Larvae. The only ap-
plications which have provedat all
destructive have been Paris-green
and powered hellebore, but these
ire dangerous remedies. Probably
he only practical way of guarding
against, or lessening the danger of
, total destruction of the crop, is to |
a war of determination |
against the insect and its eggs on
heir very first appearance. l first |
discovered their presence on the
plants three days since, and imme-
lately set men to work to carefully |
20 over and examine every hill |
md pick off every bug, and leaf
having cluster of eggs upon it,
which are thrown into tin buckets,
md afterward destroyed. Where
hey have not got too much of Il
tart, this labor is not so great rs it
eems.
One man being able to go over
learly an acre in day. Whoever
ails to take this or some other
method of Immediately destroying
hese pests before each insect has
multiplied himself by seven hun
lred, will seriously regret his mis-
axe before many weeks.
Wherever pair of beetles is dis
overed, every leaf within a radius
# several feet should be carefully |
xamined for eggs. 1t is said that
he fumes arising from burning the
Insects are poisonous, and consider
BILE care should be taken in hand
ing them. After all, however, the