The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-10-19
What Destroys the Eggs OF the Colorado
Potato Beetle.

rotate BeetIe.
A short time since, newspaper stat
ed that queer insect had been found
destroying the eggs of the Colorado
beetle. Another informed us that a
''practical entomologist' of Maine, had
discovered that "somcthing" was doing
the same thing. Vague paragraphs APP
pear from time TO the same effect. II
should if possible be widely known
what that "something" is. The lady
bird, often called lady-bug, the scien-
tific name of which is Coccinclla, is
both in the larva state and that of the
perfect insect, an assiduous destroyer
of the eggs of the Colorado beetle.
The perfect insect is oval, nearly round,
tlattened, usually about quarter of an
inch, often less, in diameter measured
lengthwise, bright as ifvarnished, vary
ing greatly in color in different spcci-
mems, being Oftcnest red or yellow
with black spots, sometimes black with
white, red or yellow spots. These must
not be COMPOUNDED with a destructive
beetle which infcsts potatoes and vines,
is of the shape and general appearance
of the striped squash bug, although a
triile larger, the yellow being of a green
er tingc and the black bars sometimes.
although not often, broken into spots.
The larva of the lady-bird is grull
usually about half an inch in length
when full grown, with dull, wrink-
led skin. These, like the perfect in
sects, vary greatly in color: some be-
ing plain gray, some light blue with
patches of orange, and others of pur-
plish black with dull red spots. The
grub may be readily known by the pccu-
liar position of its six short legs, which
are placed on the forward half of its
body, and by its scrambling style of
travelling, reminding one of whale
boat pulled by six short oars all for
ward of midships, the oars padding
irregularly like those of picnic party.
| am well aware that this is far from be-
ing scientific DESCRIPTION: but the
main point is to have these insects al
ways recognized in their true character
of useful servants.
The principal food of the lady-bird, in
both its larva state and that of the per-
feet insect, is plant lice. Curtis, in his
valuable English work, says that il is
exclusively so. 1t is not so in this
country; for besides having added the
eggs of the Colorado bug to its bill of
fare, it has not refused other insects.
| have seen them destroy small currant
worms. In fact the larva, which con-
sumes greatly more than the perfect in
sect, has so powerful carnivcrous
appetite that it will sometimes bite
human flesh, although never in self
defence.
Thus we may see what good friends
we possess in these humble insects.
The value of their services is fully rec
ognized on the continent of Europe,
where the gardener often places them
on his plants to destroy the aphides. in
England, too, the children are taught
never to harm the "lady-cows," as they
are called; while in France, their
names, Goods COWS" and "the Virgins
insects,' show the kindly regard in
which they are held. 1t is pity il is
not so among us. Many instances have
come under my observation here in
New England, in which they have I'M
fortunately been destroyed by those who
held the mischievous idea that every in
sect is injurious.
A neighbor told me little while ago
that at the time he picked the Colorado
beetles from his potato vines, he also
picked off and destroyed numbers of the
lady-birds. Another neighbor called
me to look at his Christialla melon
vines. Something is destroying Them"
he said. The vines were completely
covered with the green plant lice. lie
paid no attention TO them, but pointing
to the larvae of the lady-bird, began TO
crush them. And yet these men were
well educated; in many respects intel
ligent. II is high time that our people
should begin to recognize the difference
between their insect friends and foes.-
Scientific Farmer.