116 THE stra\\]!i:rkv \\Ei-:\ir. i.\ mixxksota 



with a yellowish head, and dark Cdkjred mandibles measurint^ about 

 0.6X0.2 mm. The hrst food is the nuiritious i)ollen, so that the 

 larva s^rows rapidly. Later it attacks the petals, pistils, and recep- 

 tacles. In about a week the lar\a measures 1.5 — 2 mm. XO. 6 mm. 

 At this time the head is of a light yellowish or greenish color with 

 dark brown jaws. The body has a flaky appearance with creamy 

 white spots mixed with orange red spots, forming a distinct brown- 

 ish line on the dorsuni. There is less red on the thorax and anal 

 segments. Buds collected April 2'^ were found on Mav 20 to be 

 entirely eaten out. nothing remaining but the sepals (Fig. 5. 1^1. 1 ). 

 The last thing to be eaten is the receptacle in which the lar\a makes 

 a considerable depression. On all sides of the larva, and filling the 

 bud, the shreds of excrement are to be found, some of wdiich form 

 a hard and tight cell about the larvji, so that on opening a bud, the 

 lar\-a is not noticed until the cell is broken open. The length of 

 the larval stage appears to be about three weeks. In the field on 

 June 15, 1916, the larvae were from one-half to nearly full grown, 

 ^vhile on June 1'^ many were full grown. .\t this latter date the 

 hrst berries were ])eing picked. 



The Pupa. 



The ])Upa undergoes its transformations in the pupal cell 

 which is comjjosed of excrement and constructed by the larva. 

 When disturbed the pupa wriggles its abdomen violently, as if to 

 protect itself. The length of the pupal stage appears to be al)OUt 

 six (lavs. In I'H? the ])U]xae were not common in the field until 

 July 1." 



SEASONAL HISTORY. 



Time of Appearance of Beetles in Spring. 



The first buds found cut in 1915 were in a single uncovered 

 row of old plants on April 20, wdiile in 1916 none were found until 

 May 17. The weevils apparently liegin cutting the buds when the 

 first blossom is about to open and the fruiting pedicels are about 

 two inches long. Currants were in full bloom at the time. Many 

 blossoms in that row were already open, being at least a week or 

 ten days earlier than those that had been covered. On April 30, 

 1915, many of the buds in that row were cut and the weevils were 

 found feeding and ovipositing in a nearly mature bud. This seems 

 somewhat earlv for their appearance in Minnesota, but about two 



