December, '09] JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 465 



material upon which other descriptions were based, verifying 

 synonymies, etc. 



I have not stated nor implied that Dr. Xuttall did not give sufficient 

 credit. One has only to consider that 12 of his 45 original figures 

 refer to one species, and seven others to another species to see how 

 largely he has depended upon others, for illustration, — Nathan Banks. 



THE ROSE CURCULIO fRHYNCHITES BICOLOR FAB.) IN 

 MASSACHUSETTS^ 



By Burton N. Gates, Ph. D., Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D. C. 



During the spring of 1909, while at Clark University at Worcester, Mass., 

 I had an opportunity to make certain observations on this insect which it is 

 hoped will draw attention to its presence in injurious numbers and lead to 

 a more thorough knowledge of this species. 



In Massachusetts the rugosa or Japanese rose is usually quite exempt from 

 insect attacks. During the present summer (1909), however, apis species 

 and the rose-cuculio (Rhynchites hicolor Fab.) became common upon it. It 

 was the prevalence of this beetle which especially attracted the writer's 

 attention. 



The cuculio was first noticed late in May, and in June became more numer- 

 ous. By thrusting their snouts into the swelling rosebuds the adults ruined 

 practically every bloom in the vicinity of Worcester. Some blossom clusters 

 had as many as twelve or fifteen beetles on them. Shortly after attack- 

 ing the Japanese roses they appeared on the hardy perennial varieties, at the 

 time when they commenced to show color. A week later the writer found the 

 beetles on the wild roses in the fields of North Grafton. July 10, when leaving 

 Massachusetts for Washington, Rhynchites were still numerous and active. 



The unusual damage to roses this past summer was noticed by most grow- 

 ers, but was attributed to the common rose-chafer {Macrodactylus subspinosus 

 Fab.-). Few persons, until their attention was called to Rhynchites, had 

 noticed the invasion of the cuculio. 



The writer attempted hand-picking the beetles, but found that this method 

 made little impression, as large numbers flew in from neighboring gar- 

 dens. Furthermore, the behavior of the species, the habit of feigning death 

 and dropping to the ground, made it impossible to gather all the beetles from 

 a bush. Also, the prevalence of the cuculio on wild roses precludes eradi- 

 cation or check by hand-picking. Consequently, it would appear that bio- 



• The occurrence of this insect in two other localities not listed in Bulletin No. 27 of the 

 Bureau of Entomology, referred to below, has been called to the author's attention. In 

 Maryland, specimens were captured in August, 1898, at Boonesboro, Washington County 

 (Western Maryland), and are preserved in the collection of the Maryland Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. Mr. A. B. Gahan of this station says the species Is common around 

 Manhattan, Kan. 



2 Chittenden, F. H. The rose-chafer Macrodactylus subspinosus Fab. Bureau Ento- 

 mology, Circular No. 11. Revised, July 16, 1909. 4 pp. Illus. 



