6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of these stalks is split asunder the cause of its death is manifest, for 

 through its whole length it is found to be more or less eaten away, the 

 hollows being filled in places by a fine sawdust-like powder. This is 

 sometimes the work of the imported currant borer (fig. 3), and sometimes 

 that of the native species (fig. 2). 



Early in June the parent beetle of the native currant borer deposits 

 her eggs upon the currant stalks, where they soon hatch into tiny grubs 

 which burrow into the heart of the stem, and feeding on its pith, reach 

 full growth before the close of the season. They are footless grubs, which 

 measure when full grown about half an inch in length. The head is 

 scarcely half as broad as the body, is of a dark brown color, with black 

 jaws. The body is whitish with some brown dots along each side, and is 

 slightly clothed with very fine short hairs. When full grown and about 

 to change to a chrysalis, the larva gnaws a channel through the woody 

 fibre to the outer bark, so that when changed to a beetle it can make its 

 escape by merely rupturing the bark. The cavity thus made is filled with 

 little chips to prevent the bark from being prematurely broken, and below 

 this stuffing the insect constructs a bed of short woody fibres, packing the 

 passage below with a finer material resembling sawdust. Within this 

 enclosure, which is about half an inch in length, the larva changes to a 

 chrysalis and reposes until the fully formed beetle is ready to emerge ; 

 then gradually drawing away the obstacles to its egress, it finds its way to 

 the end of the passage, and gnawing a small round hole through the 

 bark, effects its escape. 



The beetle is black with the edges of the wing covers and the thorax 

 pale chestnut brown. On each wing cover there is a rather large white 

 spot beyond the middle, and two smaller anterior spots, which are some- 

 times ash-gray and sometimes yellowish. The antennas, which are shorter 

 than the body, are pale brown thickly clothed with short ash-gray hairs. 

 The under side is black and sparsely covered with short gray hairs. 



Dr. Fitch describes two parasites which he found attacking this pest 

 in the larval state, one a small ichneumon fly, the other that of a small 

 two-winged fly. Hence, secluded as it seems to be within the centre of the 

 currant stem, it is unable to escape the acute instincts of its enemies, who 

 searching it out, feed on its body and cause its death. 



As these worms remain in the dead stalks throughout the winter, their 

 destruction is easily compassed by breaking off all the dead wood to the 

 surface of the ground and burning it. 



