Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1914-06-12
COLORADO BEETLES
RAvAG|NG CROPS
Farmers and Gardeners Complain of
Destructive Pests--College En-
pert Finds Colorado Beetle
i'm Large Numbers

fore but little known in this section.
are this spring causing the farmers
and gardeners considerable worry
and many reports of the little potato
,asts in large numbers have come
from all parts of the Inland Empire
Professor NJ. A. Yothers of the
department of entom ology at the
washington State College, in a sur
vey of potato gardens in Pullman
found the pests In unprecedented
large numbers and warns the farm
ers and gardeners that immediate
and drastic steps must be taken to
eradicate the pests. In a survey
Of several gardens in Pullman" said
Mr.. Yothers, Il found the pests quite
plentiful in all the gardens, and in
many cases a bunch of eggs from the
beetles were found on every potato
plant in the garden. This condition
exists not only in Pullman and the
adjacent territory, but is prevalent
throughout the entire section, and
would urge that immediate steps be
taken by every farmer and gardener
to eradicate the pests before they
gain a stronger foothold."
Professor Yothers gives the fol-
lowing instructions for combating
the beetles:
The ease with which this pest is
poisoned Is we'll known to many.
There are at least two poisons which,
If properly sprayed on the plants,
will give perfect results.
Paris green, one pound to 100 gal
Ions of water, is the most comm on
spray used. This spray carefully ap-
piled so that the leaves of the plants
are thoroughly covered, should kill
all of the larvae inside OF "a - As
hours.
Arsenate of lead, one pound to 30
gallons of water, is also an effective
poison. In some ways it is superior
to Iaris green. 1t appears @hite on
the leaves, thus serving as marker,
showing where the spray has been
applied. 1t sticks to the foliage much
more tenaciously and much longer
than Paris green, and even where
used much stronger than recon-
mended it will not burn the foliage.
The arsenate of lead will also stay
In suspension much longer than
Paris green and for this reason, if for
no other, it is better than the latter
In dealing with the habits of the
pests in recent bulletin published
by the State Experiment Station
Professor Yothers says:
The Colorado potato beetle has at
last become established within ouI
state. For several years this pest has
been known to occur in the Nez Percc
country of Idaho, the only locality il
which it was known west Of the
Rocky mountains, In 1910, 1911
and 1912 some few beetles were re.
ported in different parts of Eastern
Washington. During the summer Of
1913 they were found quite com.
monty in many parts of Eastern
Washington. In some few places they
were very abundant and destructive
The adult beetle is about the size
and shape of half pea, with the
round side uppermost. 1t is yellow
IN color with the wing covers orna.
mented with ten longitudinal black
stripes. The larva or immature stage
is pale red slug; soft, plump anC
SHINY and very disgusting in appear
ance. The orange colored eggs are
ABOUT the size of the head of a pin
they are deposited by the female OF
the underside of the leaves in clust
ers OF from three or four to as many
as a hundred. 1t is not uncommon
10 find as many as so or GO eggs in {
cluster.
The beetles live over winter in the
ADULT stage, alternating in the
ground. When the potatoes come vi
III the spring the beetles emerge from
the soil and feed upon the younf
ieaVes and vines. They are often seen
however, before the potatoes are
even planted. At this time they fly
ABOUT and mate. After a few days
'hey lay their eggs, and in about {
week the eggs hatch out into tiny
young plump slugs which grow anC
ueVelop for about three weeks, wher
ehey reach their full size as larvae
lhey then go into the ground
change to pupae and in about three
weeks emerge as adult striped
oeetles, They soon mate and after {
lew days the female lays the SECOND
crop OF eggs which hatch out into {
second generation of larvae A sin
gle female may lay several hundred
gigs. All stages of the insect ma!
De found at almost any time durinl
lH6 summer If 10 not uncommon II