GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT INSECTS. 



119 



Injury: Seriously injurious; can be introduced in nursery stock. 



Description and biology: Microscopic. Adult about 230 microns long by 40 microns 

 wide. Male smaller; color whitish or pale green, semitransparent and shiny. Sub- 

 cylindrical in shape; 60-70 transverse rings furnished with regular series of short pro- 

 jections, best seen on sides. Infests the buds which may contain thousands of mites, 

 causing them to swell, producing so-called "big buds." Such buds, if they open, 

 usually fail to produce fruit of value. (See text fig. 62.) 



Distribution: Middle Europe; England. 



Theobald, F. V. Insect Pests of Fruit, 1909, p. 230. 



SoKAUER, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d. ed., 1913, vol. 3, pp. 121-123, 



figs. 96, 97. 



Bryobia ribis Thomas. 



(Red Gooseberry Mite. Tetranychidae ; Acarina.) 



Hosts: Gooseberries and currants. 



Injury: Very serious injury caused by sucking the juices of the plant, 

 introduce on nursery stock. 



Very easy to 



Fig. 62. — Currant gall mite {Eriophyes ribis): Mite and galls. (Sorauer.) 



Description and biology: This is one of the minute red spiders, having eight legs, 

 which breed on the foliage of plants, causing a rusty appearance. The eggs are spherical 

 and microscopic in size. 



Distribution: Germany, England. 



Sorauer, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, vol. 3, pp. 89-91, 



figs. 67, 68. 



Abraxas grossulariata Linueeus. 



(Magpie or Currant Moth. Geometridae; Lepidoptera.) 



Host: Ciurrant, gooseberry, and fruit trees. 



Injury: Defoliation; seldom seriously injurious. 



Description and biology: ^c?wZi wing expanse 37 mm. (variable); color creamy white, 

 spotted with black, with orange yellow between black spots at base of fore"ivings; 

 hind wings like front, but with no yellow; thorax and abdomen yellow and black. 

 On wing in July and August (England). Pupa black, with three golden yellow 

 rings to the body. Cocoon delicate, attached to leaf or twig. Larva length 37 mm.; 



