liorderini:- tlic .Mississippi li'iwv il raj)i(ll_v loses its iiiiiM)rt:iiU'e as 

 a pest, owina- ])r()bably to the more ;iri<! eoiidition of the climate. 



MFi: iiisroKv AM) iiAi'.rrs. 



Like other beetles, the phim curculio has four distinct stag-cs in its 

 life, namely, the ei><>-, thelarva or '" Avorm," the i)upa, and the adult or 

 beetle. The last three stages are shown much eidarged in figure 1. 



The insect passes the winter in the adult or beetle stage under accu- 

 nuilations of partly decayed leaves, among the closely packed dried 

 grass of sod-covered orchards, and probably wherever suitable i)rotec- 

 tion from the weather may be found. As its depredations are usually 

 the worst in those portions of orchards which are in close proximity 

 to woods, the beetles doubtless find the natural accunuilations of riib- 

 bish in such situations very suitable places in which to pass the winter. 



In Niagara Connty, X. Y., during the 

 fall of 1905, nmnerous careful searches for 

 b;^etles were made under leaves and rubbish 

 in plum, peach, and apple orchards, and 

 woodlots and hedgerows adjoining them. 

 These searches did not discover aiiA^ hiber- 

 nating beetles except in one large apple or- 

 chard where the groiuid was covered with 

 sod. Failure to find beetles in other places 

 j : ^' , *^M ^^'^^ probably due to the scarcity of the in- 



s-^-/m \ ' JgP' ^^^^.j^ \y^ plum and peach orchards during the 



* preceding summer. In the sod-covered 

 apple orchard mentioned, a total of 42 

 <t^ 'ii" t/ beetles was found at various times between 



October 14 and Xovember 28. In every 

 — - case they were beneath partly decayed 



Fig. 2.— The plum curculio: Adult leaves uuder apple trees and often in de- 



female on plum, showing the cir- • • .i -i • j. i • i j.i i 



cular feeding ptmctttres and the Pr^SSlOnS in the SOll luto whlch the IcaVCS 



crescentic egg-laying punctures, were closely packed. 



n arge (ongina i. j^^ ^^^^ Spring, wlieii the fruit buds arc 



unfolding, the beetles begin to emerge from their winter quarters 

 and feed to some extent on the blossoms and tender leaA^es. Mating 

 soon begins, and by the time the fruit is Avell set the beetles make this 

 fruit the chief object of their attention. Figure 2 is an enlarged 

 illustration of a young jjlum, showing a female beetle and the char- 

 acteristic feeding and egg-laying punctures Avhich she has been 

 engaged, Avith others, in making. The circular punctures are made 

 in feeding; the others are egg punctures. 



A single eg^g is deposited in a puncture, although several may b(> 

 placed in a single fruit. From one to eight eggs may be deposited 

 daily by an individual female. ()vii)osition and feeding continue 



|ri"r. 7:!1 



