1920 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 81' 



makes tlie J'ollowiuo- statement: " For several years 1 liave heeu siifTering from the 

 I'avages of some sort of insect which attacks the l)n(ls of all the staminate varieties 

 of strawberries; a small puncture is made through an uno])ene(l sepal and an egg 

 is deposited. The stalk is then jiartially or entirely cut through. . . . In a 

 large lii'ld oL" strawl»rrrie> in which 8(» per rent, of the rows wt'i'e pistillate varieties 

 not n single bud was touclKMl, while the remaining rows of strawberries were 

 almost entirely denuded ol' buds. This same trouble was noticed in Staten Island 

 and Hamilton, Ontario, in 188G. . . ." 



Further reference is made to strawl)erry weevil outbreaks in succeeding reports 

 ol' the Dominion Ijildinologist. and also in the re})orts ol' the Entomological 

 ►Society oL' Ontario. 



So far as we are aware the weevil is recorded as being injurious in only 

 two pi'ovinces in Canada, \iz: Ontario and Quebec. 



ilosT Plants and Ixjuuy. In Ontario the strawberiy weevil has been bred 

 from the buds of the strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, and it has also been 

 obsei-ved attacking wild strawberries and rambler roses. The dewberry, the red- 

 bud or dudas tree and t]\o yellow flowered cinquefoil, are recorded by Slingerland 

 and Ci'osljy as being additional host plants of this species. 



The injury is caused by the female weevil cutting olT tlie flower buds, after 

 d(!positing her eggs within them. 



Stkawberry. Occasionally the yield of strawberry plantations in Southern 

 Ontario, especially in the Xiagara District and Ilalton County, is seriously reduced 

 by the weevil, or as it is commonly called, "the cutter.'' For example, in 1918 

 from 30 to 75 per cent, of the buds in some strawberry fields near Oakville and. 

 .ioi'dan were destroyed by the pest. In a badly infested % acre plantation at 

 .loi'dan only nineteen crates, or 513 qmirts of berries were harvested. 



All the common staminate varieties are subject to attack. Varieties with 

 imi)erfect or pistillate tlowers are practicall}' immune. 



l^\8^Bl■:RRY. According to our observations the raspberry crop is never in- 

 jured to any appreciable extent, chiefly, we believe, because at the time raspberr\' 

 buds arc put forth the overwintering adult weevils are fast dying out. This past 

 season we examined several raspberry plantations adjoining strawberry liel ds. but 

 (!ven the worst attacked bushes had less than ten per cent, of the buds severed. 



Blackberry. A patch of blackberries in the Vinelard (Hstrict was rather 

 seriimsly injured by the weevil last spring, about 2o per cent, of the buds being 

 destroyed. In the row next to an adjoining fi Id of strawberries about 75 per cent, 

 ol' the buds were severed. It was noted that frequently the weevil severed the 

 cluster stem and thus, at one stroke, destroyed several buds. 



As a general rule, however, weevil injury to the blackiicrry is negligible. 



liosKS. ]\Ir. Bartlett, an Oakville fruit grower, observed the weevi! — an 

 insect ^ith which he is very familiar — severing the buds ol' his rand)ler roses. 



Life History. 



SmLMAiiY. The winter is passed in the adult stage, probably under vegetation 

 and I'ubbish, in waste and bush lands adjoining the strawberry iields. In spring 

 the insects leave their winter quarters and appear on the strawberry plants about 

 the lime the iirst buds arc forming. By means of her siciuler snout the female 

 \vee\il punctures lhe blossom l)uds. and deposits her eggs singly in the interior of 

 ih(^ buds. After depositing an egg she then crawls down the blossom stem and cuts 

 it so that the Itud eiilier falls inimediatelv, or is left hanging for a few days, by 



7 K.S. 



