6 



which attacks the egii", aUhouoii the hitter is apparently well pro- 

 tected under the skin of the fruit. This insect is known by the scien- 

 tific name Anaphe-s conotntcheli Giranlt. It is now known to occur 

 in Georgia, North Carolina. Virginia, Maryland, the District of Co- 

 lumbia, Kentucky, Connecticut, Texas, and Indian Territory, and is 

 apparently quite abunclant. According to the few observations Avhich 

 have thus far been made, it destroys in Maryland from IG to TO per 

 cent of the eggs, and as the life cycle in June was only nine days, 

 several generations of this parasite must successfulh^ develo}) in the 

 eggs of the plum curculio, thus increasing its efficiency. 



The other parasites attack the larva or grub. They are SigalphvH 

 eurculionis Fitch and its variety rufvs Riley, and ThersUochus cono- 



Fici. 4. — .Tarring for the pUini curcnlio in a (ieorfjia peach orchard. i Oi-iuiiiah i 



tracheli Riley. The former is of much more importance ihan the 

 latter l)ecause of its greater abundance. It is a comnu)n parasite of 

 several other coleoi)terous larva' and is quite widely distributed. 

 Limited observations indicate that this ])arasite destroys about '10 per 

 cent of the larva' of the })lum curculio. 71iersiloeh}if< co/iofrdchelihn^ 

 not been met with outside of New York State, and the influence it 

 exerts in keeijing down the curculio is i)erhaps very snuill. 



Besides the true parasites several predaceous beetles and ants attack 

 and destroy the curculio larvu' as they leave the fruit to enter the soil 

 for pupation. Their value in most cases does not eiiual that of the 

 parasites. 



K'ir. 7;:j 



