222 



ROYAL SUCIKTY OF CANADA 



the trees in early spring and eats out the young buds, showing appar- 

 ently a preference for those of newly set scions. (Rep. Exp. Farms, 1893, 

 p. 177.) As these beetles have not true wings, they can only gain 

 access to the buds by crawling up the trees ; therefore, tending the 

 trees in spring with some material which cannot be crossed over by the 

 beetles will pre\'ent them from attacking the buds. 



The Black Grape-vine Weevil {Oliorhijnchus sulcatus, Fab.). — This 

 is supposed to be a European insect which has been introduced into 

 Canada. It is common in Nova Scotia, but no injury to crops has been 

 reported from that province. In British Columbia (Rep. Exp. Farms, 

 1893, p. 182) it has caused injury as a greenhouse pest, the gi-ubs eating 

 the roots of gloxinias and cyclamens as well as the foliage of various 

 other plants. 



The Strawberry Bud-weevil {Anthononnis signatus, Say). — An 

 inteTmittently occurring but serious enemy of the strawberry is the 



small beetle above named, wliieh sometimes (Rep. 



iixp. Farms, 1887, p. 32. under liic name A. viusculus, 



Say) docs much harm b}' laying its eggs in the buds 



of strawberi'ic-s 



and then cutting 



them ott". "J he 



remedy first sug- 

 gested in the 



above article, of 



covering plants 



with paper or 



gauze until the 



flowers open, is 

 the only one which has given up to 

 the ])rcsent time any useful results. 

 The Currant Weevil (J., rulndus, 

 Lee), another small beetle of the 

 same family as the above, is an occa- 

 fcional enemy of white and led 

 currants, the larvro feeding in the 

 fruit, causing it to ripen prematurely and fall from the bushes. This 

 insect has never occurred in sufficient numbers to cause any notice- 

 able diminution of the crop. (Rep. Hon. Ent. Dept. Agr. Can., 1885, p. 

 27 ; Rep. Exp. Farms, 1887, p. 31.) 



The ]ilack Gooseberry Borer {Xylocrius Agassizii, Lee). — A mere 

 mention may be made of rather extensive injuries to the stems of some 

 young gooseberry bushes imported into British Columbia from Oregon, 

 by the larvœ of a very raio longicorn beetle, to which the above name has 



Fig. 12.— The Straw- 

 berry Bud-wee- 

 vil — enlarged. 



Fig. 13.— The Strawberry Bud-weevil ; 

 a, strawberry stem attacked ; c, egg ; 

 (f, larva ; /, pupa — c, (f,f, enlarged. 



