^ht Caim^mit Cttiuttutltxgist 



Vol. LII. LONDON, DECEMBER, 1920. No. 12 



POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



The Cranberry Rootworm Beetle (Rhabdopterus Picipes) as ax 



Apple Pe.st. (Coleoptera). 



by wesley s. sawyer. 



Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 



On June 28, 1920 the writer's attention was called to a peculiar injury to 

 apples in an orchard near Sodus, New York. Small, bronze-coloured leaf beetles 

 were found in great numbers feeding on the fruit. They were later determined 

 by Mr. Charles W. Leng as Rhabdopterus picipes Oliv. This beetle is widely 

 distributed throughout the eastern United States, ranging westward to the 

 Dakotas and Texas. The beetles ha\'e been recorded as feeding on the leaYes of 

 basswood, myrtle, wild grape, and on the foliage and fruit of the cranberry. 

 In the larval stage the insect is a serious enemy of cranberry, attacking the roots. 



In the orchard at Sodus the beetles confined their attack to the fruit, especial- 

 ly Grimes Golden, eating out a shallow, irregular, hieroglyphic-like channel on the 

 surface (Plate VIII). About 75 percent, of the apples were injured in this manner. 

 The beetles continued feeding until about the middle of Juh', after which time 

 they were to be found feeding on the foliage of \'irginia creeper, dock, and wild 

 strawberry. Apple leaves were not attacked. When feeding on the foliage 

 the beetles ate out holes through the leaf, shaped \ery similar to the channels 

 on the fruit (Plate VIII); in some cases riddling the leaves so that only the \-eins 

 remained. About the first of August the beetles disappeared. 



During the past season, the work of the insect seemed to be confined to the 

 vicinity of Sodus and Savannah. New York. In the latter place it was most 

 abundant on the foliage of wild strawberrv and dock. The damage to the apples 

 in this locality was not great. 



Attempts to kill the beetles by spraying with arsenate of lead were un- 

 successful. Arsenate of lead (powdered) fixe pounds in one hundred gallons 

 of summer strength lime sulphur was applied with great thoroughness, without 

 either killing the beetles or drix ing them away. 



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