CURRANT AND GOOSEBERRY INSECTS 353 



The Gooseberry Midge 



Dasyneura grossularioe Fitch 



The fruit of the gooseberry is sometimes destroyed by a 

 small, bright yellow maggot which feeds in the pulp and causes 

 the berry to turn red prematurely, decay and fall to the ground. 

 The parent fly is a dehcate midge resembling a mosquito in 

 form, about j\ inch in length, with a pale yellow body and legs 

 and with black eyes and blackish antennae. The female ap- 

 parently punctures the skin of the fruit with her ovipositor 

 and inserts the egg directly into the pulp. 



Pupation takes place within the decayed berry, and the flies 

 emerge in the latter part of July. The further history of this 

 insect is unknown. 



The gooseberry midge has never become a serious pest. 

 No better remedy has been suggested than to collect and destroy 

 the infested berries before the flies have had time to mature. 



Reference 

 • Fitch, 1st Rept. State Ent. N. Y., p. 176. 1855. 



The Gooseberry Fruit-worm 

 Zophodia grossularice Packard 



Gooseberries and currants are subject to the attacks of a 

 greenish caterpillar (Fig. 314) with a brownish head f inch in 

 length when full-grown, which feeds within the fruit and causes 

 it to color prematurely and either dry up or fall to th(^ ground 

 and decay (Fig. 315). While ordinarily not a serious p(^st, it 

 has been known to destroy almost the entire crop in certain 

 places, particularly in the West. 



The grayish moths have an expanse of nearly an inch ; the 

 fore wings are crossed by darker lines, and there is a row of 

 2a 



