298 FRUIT INSECTS 



an inch or two in the ground. The young grubs burrow through 

 the soil, feeding on the humus, and become only partly grown 

 by winter. They complete their growth the following spring, 

 pupate in earthen cells (Figs. 252 and 254) in the ground, and the 

 beetles begin to emerge in early summer, becoming most abun- 

 dant during August in the latitude of Kentucky. They attack 

 peaches, pears, plums, grapes and other fruits. Corn in the 

 milk is often injured. 



Treatment. 



As it is impracticable to use arsenical sprays on ripening 

 fruit, it has been suggested that the beetles might be attracted 

 to piles of overripe and decaying fruit beneath the trees and 

 there poisoned with Paris green or arsenate of lead. In prac- 

 tice this method is of little value because the majority. of the 

 beetles prefer to feed on the fruit still hanging on the tree. 

 Thorough and repeated hand-picking of the beetles as fast as 

 they appear is the safest and surest way of protecting a crop. 

 Manure piles should not be permitted in the vicinity of orchards 

 where the pest is troublesome, and the use of mineral fertihzers 

 is suggested as a means of decreasing the number of grubs. 



References 



Md. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 23, pp. 77-81. 1893. 

 U. S. Bur. Ent. Bull. 10, pp. 20-26. 1898. 

 Ky. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 116, pp. 67-73. 1904. 



In the Southwest a closely related beetle (Allorhina mutabilis 

 Gory) causes similar injury to ripening fruits. As far as known, 

 its habits and life history do not materially differ from those of 

 the last species, and the same remedial measures are suggested. 



Reference 

 N. Mex. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 5, p. 10. 1892. 



The brown fruit-chafer {Euphoria inda Linnaeus) and its 

 near relative {E. melancholica Gory) are both known to at- 



