INSEC1S INJURIOUS IN 1902. 37 
in pastures where cattle gather in one place for shade. Ina report 
by Messrs. Riley and Howard in 1889 the statement is made that 
a spadeful of lime on a cow dung will kill all the larvae therein. 
To kill the flies, Mr. Weed, in 1895, used a mechanical mix- 
ture of kerosene and water (2-10 in Kerowater Sprayer). The 
milch cows of the Station herd were sprayed with this daily for 
seven days, effort being made to have the spray hit the flies. The 
pests were killed in this way and their numbers so reduced that 
after the seventh spraying practically no flies could be found nor 
were they again numerous that season. Kerosene Emulsion, one 
part emulsion to 6 or 8 of water, would probably accomplish the 
same results. 
A NEW STRAWBERRY PEST. 
Harpalus pennsylvamcus, De G. 
This beetle hitherto so useful in eating noxious larvae that 
we have unhesitatingly accepted him as our friend and classed 
him for years under the head of beneficial insects, has this year 
for the first time apparently in Minnesota developed a most rep- 
rehensible habit, which bids fair to put him under the ban. It 
seems that though preeminently carnivorous in taste it is enough 
of a vegetarian to eat the seeds of the rag weed, (Ambrosia). 
From the seeds of this humble plant it was but a step to eat the 
seeds of the strawberry, a patch of which plants may have been 
near at hand. After tasting the pulp of the strawberry in eating 
the seed we can hardly blame him for acquiring a fondness for 
this luscious fruit. 
On July toth I received the following letter from Mr. Henry 
Grinder of Hinckley: “Dear Sir:—Can you tell me any way to 
get rid of the Black Beetle which is eating my strawberries? He 
works at night. The seed of the berry is all he seems to care for, 
he cracks that and eats the kernel of it. They hide in the mulching 
between the rows in the day. They are very plentiful this year. 
Is there anything | can put on the plants that will drive them 
away and not injure the berry? They have destroyed over two- 
thirds of the berries: Please let me know if there is anything I 
can do to stop them.’’ Later, under date of July 13, he again 
