214 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



STRAWBERRY ROOT WORM. 



(Scclodonfa ncbulosus.) 



Small metallic green beetles that feed on the foliage of strawberry and grape, and the 

 larvae of which feed on the roots of strawberry. 



Three species of strawberry root-worms occur in states just to the 

 south of us. The larvae of all these closely resemble one another, both 

 in appearance and in habits. One of these has been with us many 

 years. It was noticed in special 

 bulletin No. 24 and in bulletin 

 ISO of this station, under the 

 name of Typopliorus caneUus, and 

 in the Report of the Michigan 

 Ftate Board of Agriculture, by 

 Professor A. J. Cook, under the 

 name of Paria atcrrima. Another 

 of these root-worms has made its 

 a])pearance in injurious numbers. 

 This one is known as Scelodonta 

 nchiilosiis and was reported once 

 before from Michigan, a single 

 specimen having been sent to Pro- 

 fessor Forbes, State Entomologist 

 of Illinois, in 1884. It is only 

 about an eighth of an inch in size, 

 bronzy-green in color, Avith a thin 

 covering of whitish hairs. The 

 beetle is quite robust and is high- 

 ly polished underneath the hairs. 

 The larvae of all these beetles re- 

 semble tiny white-grubs and feed 

 on the roots of strawberry. 



On August 8, 1904, we received 



Fio. 12. Strawberry 

 from S. A. Forbes, 

 gist of Illinois. 



Root-worm, much enlarged 

 XIII Rep. State Entomolo, 



a lot of these beetles from Glen 



Lord, Berrien County, sent us by Mr. F. W. Lee. Mr. Lee reports them 



as having destroyed about five hundred young grai)e-vines by 



on the 



foliage. 



feeding 



REMEDIES. 



When the adult beetles are feeding on the leaves, there should be little 

 difficulty in killing them with a spray of arsenate of lead, of course 

 avoiding such a spray if the fruit be far advanced or if the plants be 

 in bloom. The larvae can usually be taken care of here in Michigan 

 by killing the adults and rotating, although in very bad cases it may be 

 necessary to plow in the fall. In places where the grubs work year after 

 year, plants should be dip])ed in tobacco-water before setting. They 

 should also be set in soil not too near the old beds and soil which is 

 not already stocked with the pests. 



