274 Strawberry-Growing 



larva of a reddish-brown moth, about three-fourths of an inch wide, 

 which lays eggs on the under surface of the young leaves in May or 

 June. Forty-two to fifty days elapse from egg to moth. In the 

 North there are two broods each year ; in the South, three or four 

 broods. The insects hibernate as partly grown larvae or as pupae, 

 beneath trash and mulch. 



Since the larva feeds for a short time on the upper surface of the 

 leaves before entering its shelter, arsenate of lead, apphed early, is 

 quite effective. The application must be repeated every week or 

 ten days, as fast as new leaves are put out by the plants ; one spray- 

 ing does little good because the eggs are laid over a long period. 

 Mowing and burning after the crop is harvested destroys all larvae 

 and pupae in the folded leaves. Plow the old beds under immediately 

 after harvesting. 



White grub {Lachnostema, several species). 

 White grub is the most common insect attacking the strawberry. 



When some of the lustiest plants in the field begin to wilt, one or 



more grubs will be found feeding on 

 the large roots or in the crown. The 

 grubs are one inch to one and one- 

 half inches long, thick, curved, dirty 

 white with brown heads. These are 

 the larvae of several species of the 

 large brownish May beetles or June 

 bugs. The female burrows into the 

 soil and deposits eggs one to five 

 Fig. 20. — White grub The jj^^j^^g ^elow the surface. The grub 



mature insect, or May beetle, - , , , /. , i ^^ ^ 



is shown at a. feeds the first season on plant roots 



at a depth of about three inches. 

 On the approach of winter it burrows deeper into the soil. It does 

 most of its damage the second season. The life cycle is three years, 

 occasionally four. 



As the beetle does not feed on the strawberry plant and the grub 

 is deep in the ground most of the time, neither can be reached with 

 insecticides. White grubs are most abundant in land that has been 

 in sod for several years ; hence, strawberries should not be planted 

 on a sod fallow. It is best to precede strawberries with a hoed 

 crop, like potatoes. If this cannot be done, plow the sod deeply 



