Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-06-06

wing cover eniarGed: !, leg enlarged,
The destructive insect commonly known
us the Colorado Potato-bng is now
really in our midst, and though not as ye
in sufficient numbers to do much harm. it,
previous history ought to give us warning
The great interest felt on account of thi.
intruder has been manifest by the count
less bugs of all descriptions that recciv
ed by mai last season, with the inquiry
"Whether it is n potato bug Nine time!
out Of ten could say it was not; but
the number of actual potato beetles ha.
led me to the belief that there is hard
/ ~ u town in the state that has not in it III,
dreaded pest; in small numbers, it is true
but yet, if not Immediately attended to
TWO seasons more will blight our crop O
potatoes as elsewhere That all may re
cognize this pest, | will give something o
its appearance, history and habits.
This bug. so called, is, strictly speaking
beetle, and is known to naturalists unde
the name Of D0ryphoru deccnliiaeata. l
was first described by Thomas Sav.who wa
thea with Longs Exploring Expedition ia
the Rocky Mountains. The specimen
from which his description was writer
were collected in the regi of the uppe
Missouri, and it was found there quit
common. Its food in its native place wa
the wild potato, so common TO This noun
famous region.
As civilization advanced toward this f,
western section, carrying the cul ivate,
potato within its reach, this insect acquire,
the habit OF feeding upon it; it even seem
ed to thrive upon the cultivated potato bet
ter than upon the wild ones, and as a re
suit, its numbers vastly increased. Ii
1859 it had spread eastward to a point on
hundred miles west of Omaha CITY. !
Nebraska. Prof Riley says that in 1856
it had invaded Iowa, and during the mex
four years it had reached the Mississinr
river. In 1864 and '65 it crossed that rive
Invading Illinois, from which time it In
gradually but surely spread over all h
t M iddle and northern states.
The first account Of its destructive pr,
pensities was published in the Prairie Faj
mer for August 9th, 1861; from this tim
until the present frequent reports an
descriptions have been published.
In 1874 it was found upon the sea-coa,
in New Jersey, but it was in 1876 that III
advance guard invaded New England
/ Frequent reports Of its appearance wer
published in 1875, but could never fin
that one of them was authentic.
Like other higher species of Coleoptc
ra, it passes through complete metamol
phosis, but unlike many other beetles, il con
fines itself during its entire life to the sam
species of vegetation, and. unhappilv. SC
lects as its first choice the potato. Tbi
BEETLE however, is not, like many of on
pests an Importation, but an original ma
tive OF the far west. It's name would in
dictate Colorado as its birth. place, but his
torical facts, as have before stated, woul,
indicate upper Missouri Yet Prof Rifle,
thinks it also existed in Colorado. II
however, seems true that this beetle com
mitted severe depredations in Nebrask;
and Kansas before it was ever seen by III,
farmers of Colorado, and when it infsste,
that section the people there considered +
OF eastern origin, but its exact birth place
does not matter.