47 



Second Report of the injurious and other Insects of the State of New York a pre- 

 cisely similar instance is recorded. No explanation, however, has been offered of 

 the phenomenon. This species is sti'ictly phytophagic and it would be as impossible 

 for it to feed upon (he carpets as it would be to prey upon the "Buffalo Bugs." The 

 beetles are nocturnal, and hide in dark places by day, venturing forth at night to 

 feed. They are also gregarious and wingless. 



A possible explanation of this occurrence in dwellings offers itself. They might 

 have been feeding on vegetation of some sort in the immediate vicinity of, and 

 pi'obably actually in contact with, the house infested. With the approach of day 

 they would naturally seek some dark hiding place, and after crawling into the 

 house were unable to hnd their way out. This would be the more likely in dwell- 

 ings covered at some point with climbing vines. — [Aiigust 2, 1892.] 



The Grape-seed Weevil. 



I send for your examination a few grape berries ijuuctured by an insect, same as 

 I attempted to describe in letter to you last January, and in reply to which you said 

 there were two insects which jiunctured grape berries and asked me for specimens. 



I am glad to say I can furnish but few specimens this year, my vineyard being 

 almost clear of them, whilst last year my whole crop as well as my neighbors', were 

 destroyed. I have sprayed with Bordeaux mixture five times this season and so far 

 have been clear from black rot. I have not gathered a pint of rotten berries from 

 two acres of grapevines. My neighbors who have not sprayed report only a defect- 

 ive berry here and there, consequently can see no difference between sprayed and 

 unsprayed vines.— [Thos. R. Walker, Kentucky, July 25, 1892.] 



Reply, — Examination of specimens sent shows that your grapes are infested by 

 the so-called Grape-seed Weevil {Craponius incequalts), which is one of the most diffi- 

 cult insects to fight. If you knew the exact time at which the insect laid its eggs 

 something might be done in the vineyards, if not too large, by jarring the insects 

 upon sheets saturated with kerosene, and it is likely, as is the case with the Plum 

 Curculio, that the weevils feed for a time in the spring before the grapes are large 

 enough for egg laying. If this should prove to be correct a spraying with an 

 arsenical solution would destroy them before they have an opportunity to oviposit. — 

 [August 1, 1892.] 



A new Enemy of Cotton. 



I send thi-ee specimens of insects. The little black ones are doing great damage 

 to cotton blossoms. The speckled one was with them, but not so numerous. The 

 long one was also engaged in eating the cotton blossoms. In looking over a ten-acre 

 plot of cotton, at least one-fourth of the cotton squares were stripped of their leaves. 

 Would like to know about them, and remedy. — [J. S. Davitt, Polk County, Georgia, 

 July 12, 1892.] 



Reply. — - * * xhe "little black " beetle is Luperus brunneiis, of the family 

 ChrysomelidEe, or leaf-beetles. This is known to injure the blossoms of hollyhocks 

 and the silk of corn, but has never been reported before as a serious enemy of cotton. 

 The "speckled" beetle is Megilla maculata, one of our commonest species of lady- 

 birds (CoccinellidiB). Since its food consists mainly of plant-lice, which are so abun- 

 dant on Cotton, it must be cousidered as a beneficial insect. The " long " specimen is 

 Monocrepidius vespertinus, of the family Elateridie, or click-beetles. It has frequently 

 been observed to feed on the leaves or blossoms of cotton throughout the whole cotton 

 belt, but it is not common enough to do any serious damage. 



It is safe to say, therefore, that the damage you complain of has been caused by 

 the Luperus mentioned above, and if this species should continue to be troublesome 

 I would advise the use of the arsenites as practiced against the Cotton Worm. — [July 

 29, 1892.] 



