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Show Beetle Is Voracious Enemy of Potatoes Dusting or Spraying Will Control Menace Ranking as the most serious threat to the grower of potatoes and othei vegetables Is the Colorado potatc beetle, which Is prevalent throughout many areas of the country. The beetle is yellowish in color, stout bodied, about two-fifths of an inch in length and with wing coven bearing 10 longitodlnal stripes. The larva or "slug" ii soft -bodied, red- y J dish In color and olrAT reaehc maxl-ifihn& maxl-ifihn& mum ,l,e 01 jl 11 Ii L about three-fifths iHllllfV lcnu- " U IM June when p( yUJ1? tato plants begin to f appear above ground, the beetles attack the foliage and lay their orange-colored eggs on the undei side of the leaves. The eggs hatch in a few days into voracious larvae which, after feeding feed-ing for about 10 days, leave the plants and enter the soil to complete their development They emerge at adult beetles by the latter part oi July. A second brood is produced in August and adults of this generation genera-tion winter in the soil. Both the larvae and adults are severe defoliators defoli-ators of the plants. To rid the potatoes, tomatoes, egg plants, peppers, ground cherries and cabbage plants of the Colorado potato po-tato beetle, dust or spray with parls green, calcium arsenate or cryolite. Hand picking of the beetles and crushing of the egg masses is effeo tive if done often. |