244 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 15 



THE STRAWBERRY WEEVIL CUTTING APPLE, TOMATO, 

 AND COTTON BUDS IN TENNESSEE 



By S. Marcovitch 



Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville, Tennessee 



The strawberry weevil, Anthonomus stgnatus Say, unlike its near 

 relative, the cotton boll-weevil, is known to have several unrelated food 

 plants: for example; the strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and red- 

 bud tree. It is probable, therefore, that its known list of food plants 

 is not exhausted, particularly in more southern localities. After care- 

 ful observations and breeding experiments, such was found to be the case. 



On March IS, 1921, apple buds were examined at Curve, Lauderdale 

 County, Tennessee, and found to have been severed. The cut buds 

 remained on the tree, and were conspicuous by their smaller, shrivelled, 

 appearance. In one cluster five out of seven buds were thus cut. 

 When these aborted-looking buds were opened, eggs were easily found. 

 A little later the adult weevils themselves were noticed on the twigs, 

 and it was easy to see that they were responsible for the cut buds. 



To make absolutely sure that no other insect was present, several 

 buds were collected and placed in jars to rear the adults. On April 

 9, fullgrown larvae were present in the buds. Genuine strawberry 

 weevils emerged from the buds on April 23. By breeding the adults 

 from apple buds, we have practical proof of another food plant that may 

 be credited to the strawberry weevil. The apple trees where the wee- 

 vils were found are located close to a strawberry patch infested with 

 weevils. Whether the strawberry weevil will continue to breed only in 

 buds of apple trees that are adjacent to strawberry fields remains to be 

 observed. 



From conversation with farmers in West Tennessee, it was learned 

 that cut buds were observed on cotton and tomato plants. Experi- 

 ments were conducted with these plants to see if the strawberry weevil 

 was capable of breeding in them also. On April 25, the newly emerged 

 weevils from the apple buds were placed in a cage with a tomato plant. 

 On May 2 several buds and flower pedicels were found girdled but 

 none cut through. Upon examination, no eggs were observed. The 

 buds were not cut straight across, as is usual, but girdled around the 

 entire pedicel, causing the buds to wither. The strawberry weevil 

 did exactly the same thing when placed in a cage with the common 

 horse nettle, Solanum carolinense L., and with a cotton plant, on July 

 12. The squares of the latter that were girdled measured ^4 of an inch 



