THE STRAWBERRY WEEVIL IN MINNESOTA 



.hithoiioiniis sii:;iiatiis Say 



Suborder — Rhviichophora 

 Family — Ciircnlioiiidac 

 Trihe— Ant honomini 



S. AIARCOVITCIl. 



The work of which the results are here offered in detail was 

 begun at the University of Minnesota in 1914, at the suggestion of 

 Professor A\'illiam Moore, then in charge of the Section of Truck 

 Crop Insects. The investigation was completed under Professor 

 Ruggles, in charge of the Section of Economic Entomologv. I wish 

 to thank l)oth Professor Moore and Professor Ruggles for valuable 

 suggestions throughout the work and for criticism of the manu- 

 script. 



The strawberry weevil was found to be very destructive during 

 the last few years, in Minnesota, especially in the vicinity of Minne- 

 apolis and Hopkins, wdiere it is not uncommon to hnd fields with 

 from forty to ninety-fi^•e per cent of the Imds severed. (Jne of the 

 first indications of its presence is a shortage in the numl^er of l)los- 

 soms, usually attributed to frost, hail, or some other agency. 



HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION. 



The strawberr}- weevil is a widely distributed nati\e species, 

 being first reported as injurious to strawl:)erries in 1871.. by Mr. 

 Townsend Glover, at Silver 11 ill, Maryland. Since then it has been 

 reported from Missouri, 1873; Michigan, 1883; Staten Island, 1885; 

 New York, 1886; Ontario, 1.886; Quebec, 1887; Pennsylvania, 1888; 

 A^irginia, 1891 ; New Hampshire, 1891 ; Delaware. 1892 ; New Jersey, 

 1893. and North Carolina and Ohio, 1893. In Minnesota, this insect 

 is first mentioned in Luggar's h'ifth Report, 189'), as occurring in 

 limited numl^ers, and later is reported by AA'ashburn in 1*)03 and 

 1904. During the last two }-ears. the weevil has appeared in such 

 numbers as to warrant further stud}'. Although the wee\il is very 

 abundant at Hopkins. Minnesota, it has not been reported as injur- 

 ious in other parts of the state, owing possibly to the lack of infor- 

 mation on the part of the growers. The weevil was found by the 

 writer at Faribault. Itasca Park. Brainerd. and as far north as 

 Duluth, and is probal)h- distributed over the entire state, wherever 

 strawberries are grown. 



Published with the approval of the directo r as Paper No. 63, of Journal series of the Min- 

 nesota ,\gricultural Experiment Station. 



