Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-06-08
Por the Free Press and Times.
The Colorado Beetle.

The doryphord decem-lined'd- Colorado or
Western ten-lined potato bug-was described
| by Say in the Journal of the Academy of
| Natural Sciences, in 1923, as occurring in
Missouri and Arkansas, and was so named
| from the ten black lines on its wing covers,
| five on each side. One of the first notices
of its appearance, as a destructive insect,
was in 1861, when Judge Edgerton described
| it as being very destructive to the potatoes
in Iowa and, in 1862. it was reported by
Thomas Murphy. Of Atchison, in Kansas,
as doing much damage to the crops, and be-
ing very numerous. The insect is said to
have travelled East about three hundred and
sixty miles in six years, or at rate Of about
sixty mile year. They are now found as far
North as Canada, and as far East as Maine
In 1864, it was calculated that if not check
ed they would reach the Atlantic States in
1880. 1t seems that they reached the At
lantic States in 1875. The eggs. to the num-
bor of seven hundred to twelve hundred,
are deposited on the young leaves of the pota-
to. These eggs are attached by one end to
the under side of the leaves, usually in clus-
tiers of one to two dozen. Tho larvn hatch
out in few days and feed from seventeen
to twenty days. Then they bury themselves
in the earth. where they change into pupe
and remain as pupR from ten to twelve days,
and finally emerge from the earth as perfect
beetles to deposit more eggs for second
generation. In order to give some idea Of
their powers of multiplication and the in
jury effected by them, the Canadian Ento-
mologist states that all their transformations
are effected in fifty days. so that the result of
single pair. if allowed to increase without
molestation, would, in one season, amount
to over sixty millions and Mr.. Walsh. after
a careful examination of facts, states that in
one year. 1896, these insects had destroyed
one and a quarter millions dollars worth Of
potatoes in one small portion Of the United |
States, which came under his observation. |
Tbs insect. after laying, does not die imme- |
diately. Professor Daniels. of Wisconsin |
University, having kept female alive six |
weeks without food after she had laid twelve |
hundred eggs. There are said to be three |
broods annually. the last brood remaining
underground all winter and appearing as
perfect beetles the following spring. This
insect is stated to possess poisonous proper
ties when intentionally handled. It feeds
upon the potato, tomato, and egg plant. There
are several parasitical insects which DESTROY
the Colorado potato bug. They prey upon 1t
IN the larval state, and serve essentially to
lessen the number OF these pests. Hens and
chickens Will also destroy this insect, and
should be allowed to run among the vines
The larvn Of the Colorado potato bug is at
first dark redish brown, but becomes paler.
and brlghtens AS it natures. The head is
black, and II has a ring Of black on the first
segment OF ITS body, and two rows of black
spots on each side. The perfect insect il
about half an inch in length, of a thick, oval
shape, and of Il yelowish cream-color, with
ten black lines running lengthwise down the
VIM covers the head and thora1 are of an
orange-brown color. spotted and marked
with black
There is another insect closely resembling
the true Colorado bug in form. coloration,
and markings, and may be distinguished by
having the second and third stripes always
united behind, and sometimes before, giving
1t the appearance of having only eight stripes
instead of ten on the wing covers This in
sect has not yet been reported as having
done any material injury to the potato. This
is called the "DOryph0rd ,Lmcta." Lena
trilinedtd, has also recently been mistaken for
the Colorado bug, but may readily be recog-
nized by its smaller size, more elongated
form, and having only three longitudinal
black lines on its reddish yellow wing covers.
The larva may also be readily distinguished
by its habit of carrying disgusting mass of
excrement on its back and by its small size
For the last three days | have been killing
what / supposed Was the true Colorado bug
but find on close examination that they are
not, for they have only four stripes on the
wing cover and the second and third stripe
unite behind and they arc not one half inch
IN length. think they should be DESTROYED
by all means. great many of our farmers
are taking this bug for the true Colorado bug
kEMEDY.
Ii Is well known that Paris Green ia tho
only satisfactory remedy for DESTROYING the
potato bug, but the difficulty experienced by
all who use 1t, is the expensive and laborious
method of applying it by hand when used
With plaster or flour, and also being impossi
Die to distribute it evenly. some parts Of the
Tlne receiving vastly more than required |
ind others none. and when used with water
used when the sun Shines does nearly as
much damage as the bug by scaldinR the
ilnes and leaves. Vines treated in this way ,
Aill, IN short time, turn brown, causing
he mold to look ripe long before it il time,
hawkins 4 Cornish, Of Goshen, n Y. can
supply parties with an iInDlempnt wnrt. al ly