31-1 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



INSECTS AFFECTING THE CURRANT. 



INSECTS BORIXG IX THE WOOD. 



The Imported Currant-borer. {Aegeria tipiiliformis.) 



The currant and gooseberry are often attacked by a borer that works in the 

 center of the branch, tunneling down quite a distance and interfering seriously 

 with the development both of the foliage and of the fruit, and eventually bring- 

 ing about the death of such tunneled wood. Stems containing borers show the 

 presence of the invader by wilted and stunted foliage early in the season. The 

 larvae after feeding on the pith and central part of the stem until autumn, pass 

 the winter in the tunnel. In the spring when the plant starts to grow the larvae 

 are awakened to new activity and quickly complete their growth. Before chang- 

 ing to pupae they eat their way almost through to the outside, plug up the hole 

 loosely and retire. The pupal stage is entered upon and in June the adult moths 

 come out to the open air. In this stage the insect is very beautiful, being a 

 little less than half an inch long, slender, and brilliant black and yellow in 

 color. The wings are only partially covered with scales, the uncovered part 

 being transparent. For this and other reasons they are placed among the 

 group of moths known as clear-wings. They so closely resemble wasps that one 

 hesitates to handle them without careful examination. The figure shows the 

 adult larva and' pupa. It will be noticed that the larva possesses feet like those 

 of most moths. 



Fig. 33. — Imported Currant-borer. 



REMEDIES. 



When the foliage commences to expand, the mutilated stems can be dis- 

 tinguished by the sickly appearance of the leaves. Cut out all tunneled stems 

 below the lowest part of the tunnel, and burn them. If this practice be con- 

 stantly followed up, the bushes can be kept fairly free from this borer. 



The Native Currant Borer. (Psenocenis supernotatus.) 



Curiously enough, we have two borers working in the currant, one belonging 

 to the clear-winged moths, imported from Europe, and the other a native insect 

 belonging to the beetles. Fig. 34 shows one of the adult beetles. It is from 



/ 

 Fig. 34. — Native Currant-borer. 



three-sixteenths to one-fourth of an inch long, brown in color, with the posterior 

 half of the wing-covers darker than the rest of the body, and with two whitish 

 spots on each wing-cover. The larvje or grubs of this beetle are footless, and 

 work very much as do the imported borers, except that usually several work 

 together instead of singly as in the case of the other. The same remedies 

 apply as in the case of the imported species. 



