58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Lockport. Since it requires two years to grow these plants and as 

 the injury does not show until those blossoming wilt in the sun, 

 there may be serious damage before the grower suspects the presence 

 of an insect pest. There are a ntmiber of records of this weevil 

 injuring these plants, and also gloxinias, geraniimis and other 

 greenhouse plants. 



The beetles have been recorded as feeding on ferns by Johannsen 

 and as eating the leaves of palms, lemon trees, Tradescantia and 

 Dracaena^ by Britton. The grub is also known as a crown borer 

 of strawberry, it working in this plant in much the same way as 

 several other borers. Mr Lewis states that in his experience the 

 pest confines itself to plants having a crown, such as gloxinias, 

 tuberous begonias and cyclamen. In Tasmania it is counted as one 

 of the worst strawberry pests. There is also a record of injury to 

 Taxus and rhododendron plants in Europe as well as various garden 

 vegetables, and Doctor Britton^ records injury to both Taxus and 

 Retinospora in Connecticut, a number of valuable plants being 

 killed. 



The parent beetle or weevil is nearl}^ one-half of an inch in length, 

 moderately stout, dark brown or black and marked with scattering 

 spots of light brown, these usually extending all over the beetle, 

 including the head, antennae and legs. 



The diversified food habits of this insect and the probability that 

 under greenhouse conditions breeding may be more or less con- 

 tinuous, make it difficult to suggest satisfactory preventive or 

 control measures for this root or crown pest. It is desirable in the 

 case of greenhouses to exercise every reasonable precaution to pre- 

 vent the introduction of plants infested by this insect. We would 

 suggest in the case of cyclamens and primroses examining some of 

 the plants, especially the less thrifty ones, in October or November 

 or at least a month before blooming and in case grubs were found 

 in the crowns or working on the roots, experimenting with a creosote 

 solution, starting with an ounce or two to a gallon of water and 

 increasing the amount if there is no injury to the plants. Carbon 

 bisulphide has been used but apparently is of little value. There 

 is a possibility that several sprayings or waterings with a tobacco 

 soap preparation at the usual strength for plant lice at approxi- 

 mately two-week intervals in late October or ^ November would 

 have considerable preventive and possibly remedial value. Enough 



'1909 Conn. Agri. Exp. Sta. 8th Rep't of State Ent., p. 846. 

 21914 Conn. Agri. Exp. Sta. 13th Rep't, p. 230. 



