252 FRUIT INSECTS 



feed almost exclusively on the ovaries of the buds and blossoms, 

 which they reach by puncturing the calyx. 



Soon after the fruit has set the beetles begin to feed upon the 

 pulp through small punctures made in the skin. The female 

 deposits her yellowish-white eggs, about 3V inch in diameter, 

 singly in gourd-shaped cavities gouged out in the fruit with 

 her snout. On hatching, the young grubs burrow directly into 

 the pit and feed on the kernel within until full grown. The 

 larva is then milk-white in color with brownish jaws, and is 

 strongly curved. Before changing to a pupa it eats out an 

 exit hole through the hard shell of the pit, to provide for the 

 escape of the future beetle. The pupal stage is passed within 

 the pit, and the beetles emerge from the fruit during late August 

 and September. They do not feed to any extent the first season, 

 but soon desert the trees and go into winter quarters. 



Infested plums do not fall or ripen prematurely. The prin- 

 cipal injury is caused by the punctures made by the beetles 

 in feeding and egg-laying; gum exudes from the wounds, and 

 deformed and misshapen fruit results. Sometimes in restricted 

 localities the gouger may be more abundant and cause more 

 injury than the plum curculio, but as a general thing it is not a 

 serious pest. 



Treatment. 



In general the measures suggested for the control of the 

 plum curculio will apply to this species, but the destruction of 

 fallen fruit would be of no avail, because as a rule plums in- 

 fested by the gouger do not fall prematurely. Jarring is also 

 less satisfactory because the beetles fall less readily and are 

 more liable to escape by flight. Although the results of defi- 

 nite experiments are not available, it is probable that spraying 

 with arsenate of lead as practiced for the plum curculio would 

 do much to hold this pest in check. The first application 

 should be made just before the blossom buds open. 



