RASPBERRY. — BLACK VINE WEEVIL. 



361 



EASPBEERY. 



Black Vine Weevil. Otiorhynchus sulcatus, Fab. 

 Clay-coloured Weevil. O. incipes, Fab. (sejitoUrumis, Stepli. Man. ) 



0. ■picipes aud 0. sulcatus: 1 — 4, 0. sulcatus, maggot and pupa, nat. size and 

 magnified, or with lines sliowing nat. length; 5, 0, picipes. 



The two kinds of weevils — scientifically Otiorhynchus 

 sidcatiis and 0. indices of Fabricius — figured above have an 

 enormous capacity for doing mischief. In beetle state they 

 feed on leaves and shoots of various plants, amongst which 

 Vines, Raspberries and Strawberries may especially be men- 

 tioned, though unfortunately the list might be much length- 

 ened, and sometimes includes field root-crops, of which an 

 especial instance came under my notice in 1885, when the 

 two above-mentioned kinds greatly injured twelve acres of 

 Mangolds. 



On June 10th Mr. Warner wrote to me from the Nurseries, 

 Leicester Abbey, regarding an attack of brown beetle-like 

 insects, which appeared, as he said, to be " almost omnivorous," 

 and, after giving a list of attacked plants, further noted, 

 " They are noiv materially injuring twelve acres of Mangel 

 Wiirzel." From the specimens accompanying these proved 

 to be Otiorhynchus sulcatus and 0. incipes. 



I have also had twigs of Eed Currant, Cob Nut, and 

 Damson (as well as of Raspberry), sent with specimens of 

 beetles accompanying, to show the " sad havoc " made in 

 fruit plantation by the Otiorhynchus incipes : as many as 105 

 of the beetles were reported by the sender as having been 

 found on the stem of one Cob Nut tree. 



The two species mentioned above as well as the 0. tenchri- 

 cosus, or Eed-legged Garden Weevil, are exceedingly hurtful 

 by feeding on the shoots, leaves, and buds ; sometimes also on 

 the fruit and flower-buds ; and in the larval state they are 

 injurious by feeding on the roots. 



