4« B. C. ENTOMOLOGICAL PROCEEDINGS, 1912. 



Nature of Injury. 



Small irregular feeding areas on the edge of the leaves of the 

 strawberry plant indicate the feeding habits of the adult weevil. The 

 larvae attack the roots at all depths in the soil to which roots penetrate. 

 Portions of the epidermis of the root forming longitudinal slits are 

 devoured. This is evidently an initial stage leading either to a com- 

 plete "girdling" of the root or to a longitudinal feeding area on the 

 root, resulting sometimes in a spiral efiFect. Some larvae apparently 

 pass from the egg to the pupa in the immediate surface zones of the 

 soil, but the majority, at the approach of winter, burrow to the depth 

 of four to six inches, some reaching the depth of eight inches. There 

 is no doubt that the larvae are capable of moving freely in the soil 

 (sandy loam), and there also appears to be a general tendency of the 

 larvae in the first place to burrow downwards to the finer roots of 

 the plants and then gradually work their way towards the surface as 

 the period of pupation approaches. The roots therefore are attacked 

 at all depths, the most serious damage being done in early spring, when 

 the larvae are nearly full grown and thereby better able to attack the 

 main roots of the plant. I have never seen any larvae feeding directly 

 upon the crown of the plant, but I have evidence in plenty where roots 

 have been "nipped off" two inches or so from the crown. Plants there- 

 fore thus attacked, with their root system considerably diminished, nat- 

 urally suffer from the drying effects of the sun and wind, and this 

 taking place conjointly with the period of blossoming and continuing 

 as the fruit begins to set. greatly interferes with the yield and the profit. 



We can, however, accept this maxim from the study of the life 

 history of this weevil: that if no injury to the plantation has become 

 apparent by the end of June of one year, no further injury will become 

 apparent that year, or, in other words, the plants attacked in the spring 

 of one year, having reached their highest degree of injury by the end 

 of June, for the remainder of the year tend to improve and re-establish 

 themselves in the soil. This point should be made use of in the matter 

 of applying commercial fertilizers. 



Deposition of Egg. 



The customary places where eggs were found to be laid during 

 the past summer were as follows: In the crevice made in the soil by 

 the crown of the plant, on particles of soil filling the crown below 

 surface, below debris directly on the surface of the soil and laid pro- 

 miscuously in the soil to the depth of one-half inch. 



