COCKCHAFER. 121 



The above notes, it will be seen, only give two reports of attack of 

 these special pests ; but in one case the damage was considerable, as 

 it extended over two acres of ground, cutting off the tops of the 

 attacked plants as if with a knife ; and in the other, the attack was a 

 recurrence of mischief of the previous year. Little (if anything) has 

 been reported in previous years of this kind o damage to Strawberry 

 plants in this country, although on the Continent of Europe injury to 

 Strawberry roots by Cockchafer grubs is amongst one of the regular 

 attacks, and it is possible that by drawing attention to the matter it 

 may be more fully observed and counteracted. 



The Cockchafer beetle, figured at p. 120, must be too well-known 

 to require description. Its reddish brown wing-cases make it a con- 

 spicuous object when at rest, and its powers of flight in the evening, 

 when the large and powerful wings, folded beneath the wing-cases 

 during the day, are brought into active service, and direct attention 

 very thoroughly to the presence of the beetles. 



To get rid of these, shaking them down during the day, when they 

 are dull and sluggish, from the leafage on which they cling until the 

 evening hours call them out in search of their mates, is the best 

 remedial measure. To prevent their escape, hand-picking immediately ; 

 or shaking down on cloths, from which they may be directly swept up 

 into vessels with some sticky stuff in them which will prevent the 

 Chafers flying away ; or having pigs at hand, which will eat the 

 beetles greedily ; or boys who, for a very small sum, will (with great 

 pleasure) trample on the Chafers, and collect the bodies at some very 

 small sum per quart : all are practicable measures. 



The females lay their eggs in the ground at a depth variously 

 stated as from two to four, or from about six to eight inches below the 

 surface of the soil. These eggs, it is considered, hatch in about a 

 fortnight, and the grubs, it is usually recorded, live (as they do in 

 their older conditions) on roots of grass or other plants. It has, 

 however, been said that in their first season after hatching the grubs 

 do not feed on roots, but on hunnis ; but whether this is so or not, I 

 cannot myself say. They feed during the warm part of the season for 

 three or more years, going down in winter to a greater or less depth 

 according to circumstances ; and at the end of the third or fourth 

 summer go down to a depth stated to be two feet or more. Here they 

 change to the perfect condition, the Cockchafers making their appear- 

 ance early in the following summer. 



The lowest depths by measurement from which Cockchafer grubs 

 have been sent me were live to six inches below the surface. They 

 had not been further down, because they were always found at the 

 bottom of their burrow. This was at the beginning of the month of 

 February. 



