New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 395 



While we have not observed these attacking this pest, their presence 

 under infested vines suggests that they prey upon the cranberry 

 toad-bug. The spined soldier-bug. Podisus spinosus, occurs also in 

 similar situations, but usually in much less abundance than the forego- 

 ing species. A number of undetermined ground and jumping spiders 

 are generally quite common on the bogs, and these, we observed, were 

 persistent enemies of the cranberry pest. 



During 1913 a fungus disease was very conspicuous in the breed- 

 ing cages and destroyed many specimens of the insects which were 

 being used for breeding purposes. Evidences of this same disease 

 were occasionally found in the field. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH METHODS OF CONTROL. 



TESTS OF FLOODING, 1912. 



Bog No. 1. — This bog is located at Calverton, Long Island, on 

 the Peconic River, and is owned by R. C. Brown. It contains about 

 25 acres and is divided by dams into five sections so arranged that 

 they can be flooded separately by beginning at the upper section. 

 As the importance of the cranberry toad-bug was not really 

 understood until late in the season of J.912 it was decided not 

 to attempt any spraying tests, but to try flooding in order to 

 check further injuries by the insect. This experimental effort is of 

 interest since it is contrary to general practice. While many of the 

 cranberry growers flood their bogs before blossoming to combat 

 such pests as the fruit and vine worms, the majority of them avoid 

 flooding after the fruit is set because of the danger of " scalding " 

 the berries. Selecting a day during a cloudy period, flooding was 

 begun on July 20 over the entire section of the bog and the water 

 allowed to remain for forty-eight hours to determine the effects on 

 both the insects and the vines. It was soon discovered that the bugs 

 would not remain under water or in the water if they could escape. 

 They were driven to the tops of the vines, and as the water rose they 

 would float off and climb the taller plants, generally weeds, or 

 unsubmerged rubbish. A strong wind favored the flooding so that 

 the bugs were all floated to one side of the bog, where they crawled 

 to all available weeds, grass and willows in such numbers as to 

 weigh the plants down. Judging from their activities, the insects 

 were unaffected by this unusual experience. As they were driven 

 ashore Mr. Brown sprayed them with pure kerosene, using a 



