Jl|e Canadtai] Ifntomolagbl, 



Vol. XLIX. LONDON, AUGUST, 1917 No. 8 



POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 

 The Strawberry Root Weevil in British Columbia. 



BY R. C. TREHERXE, ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH, DEPARTMENT OF 



AGRICULTURE, OTTAWA. 



Since issuing Bulletin No. 8, of the Dominion Entomological 

 Branch, on the Strawberry Root Weevil (Otiorhynchus ovatus) in 

 British Columbia, certain studies have been undertaken which may 

 well be recorded at the present time. 



This weevil still maintains its high degree of importance in 

 the strawberry plantations of the Province. It has gained access 

 to the fine strawberry plantations of the Saanich Peninsula, near 

 Victoria, to a degree which is causing considerable apprehension 

 among the growers. 



While primarily an insect adapted to the moist, cooler areas 

 adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, it has been reported as causing con- 

 siderable damage to plantations in the arid transitional areas of 

 the interior. During the past two years reports of this nature 

 have been received from northern points in the Okanagan Valley, 

 and more recently it was observed in considerable quantity at 

 Grand Forks. Many enquiries further have been received from 

 the Lower Kootenay country, particularly Kaslo, Nelson and Bos- 

 well. It has not. as yet, been reported from the Creston district, 

 but there is no doubt that its presence will be felt in this latter 

 section at no distant date, even supposing it does not occur there 

 at present. 



It has been claimed that this insect is an introduced species 

 from Europe. I find this xerx hard to believe, and I would be 

 very much interested to find out on what grounds this statement 

 is advanced. I have taken it at various altitudes up to 4,000 feet 

 in the mountains, far removed from any cultivated land, and I 

 have seen it on isolated, rocky islands of the Pacific Coast of British 

 Columbia. In one instance, I remember finding it on a rocky 



