THE STRAWBERRY BEETLE. 175 



CHAPTER XL. 



THE STRAWBERRY BEETLE. 



{Rhinmia perdix. PascoeJ) 



Order : Coleoptera. Family : Curculioni'IcB. 



This very serious insect enemy of the strawberry 

 grower, and, in some cases, to the grower of raspberries 

 also, is a somewhat pretty beetle of a drab colour, with 

 black and white markings, and belonging to the great 

 family of the so-called weevils. 



The perfect beetle (see Plate XXXVI., Fig. 1), on leaf 

 stalks of strawberry plant is about ^in. in length, and 

 like many of this group seems somewhat bulky for the 

 length of the insect. It was described by Mr. Pascoe, an 

 eminent English worker on this family, in the year 1873, 

 from specimens which had been sent to him from Victoria, 

 but around Melbourne this beetle has been known for 

 many years prior to its being named by the gentleman 

 here mentioned. 



The larvae (see Figs. 2 and 5) are yellowish-white 

 grubs, a trifle larger than the one shown in the section 

 of strawberry plant in Fig. 5. 



The jiupse (Fig. 3) have the peculiar mummy-like 

 appearance common to most beetles before changing into 

 the perfect or beetle stage. 



The eggs, about which we at present know but very 

 little, are supposed to be deposited by the female in the 

 crown of the plant, but of this we are as yet not quite 

 certain. 



This beetle, unlike many of its brethren of the same 

 family, has wings, which for the grower is unfortunate, as 

 it can doubtless fly for a considerable distance, and is 

 thus the better able to spread from orchard to orchard. 



