436 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



larva and emerges as a beetle in April or May, being single brooded. 

 Whether our species is single or double brooded is not as yet known, as is also 

 true of the time at which the eggs are laid and the period required for the 

 larva to develop. We do know that the larvae are full grown from the mid- 

 dle to the last of June. The latest date at which the larvre were found was 

 June 29. They eat the ci'own of the plant but the mode of working differs 

 considerably from that of the crown borer. Instead of confining itself to 

 the inside of the crown and excavating that as does the crown borer it seems 

 to prefer the outer portion. It is on this account that the name crown 

 girdler is proposed, to distinguish it from the numerous other species that 

 infest the roots and crowns of strawberries. In many cases, however, it eats 

 horizontally through to the center of the crown. Its presence may be 

 detected by the powdery brown droppings. 



As soon as the larva attains its growth it leaves the crown and forms an 

 earthern cocoon in the surrounding soil. About two days later it becomes a 

 pupa whicii iu eight or ten days emerges as a beetle. I have taken the full 

 grown larvte, pup?e, and beetles from around the same plant at the same 

 time. 



Larya: — All of the larvae which were seen eating were of 

 a pinkish tinge, but when compelled to fast became white. 

 The full grown larva (Fig. 7.) is three-eighths of an inch long 

 by one-eighth of an inch wide ; white, except the head, which 

 is light brown, with the mouth parts darker and the edges 

 of the jaws black. The head is smooth except for four trans- 

 verse rows of light brown hairs. The body is arched ; on each segment is a 

 row of reddish brown hairs, curved at the tip on the back, but shorter and not 

 curved on the under side. The dorsum or upper part of each ring is divided 

 into three transverse lobes or folds, all except the first and the next to the 

 last of which are smooth. Oa the under side of the first three segments are 

 tubercles in place of feet; these possess stiff hairs. On the sides of each 

 segment are two triangular tubercles, each bearing two hairs, one of which 

 is but half as long as the other. A longitudinal fissure separates the upper 

 row of tubercles from the lower. 



Pupa. — When first transformed the 

 pupa (Fig. 8) is pure white, three-eighths 

 of an inch long by two-eighths of an inch 

 wide. The head and snout are bent 

 against the breast, the latter not quite 

 twice as long as wide, tapering slightly 

 towards the tip, the jaws plainly visible. 

 The elbowed anteunce extend to the 

 base of the wing cases; the abdomen 

 terminates with a pair of incurved hooks. On each segment of the head and 

 thorax is a transverse row of spinous reddish brown hairs terminating by 

 recurved hooks. On the outer end of each femur (thigh) is a pair of similar 

 spines, the inner but half as long as the outer. On each segment of the- 

 abdomen is a transverse row of reddish brown awl-shaped bristles. 



A day or two after transforming the black eyes show through the pupal 

 envelope at the base of the snout, and in a few days more the mouth parts and 

 the legs become brown. In about eight days the wing cases develop, and the 

 body becomes light brown, which in a day or two changes to dark brown. 



