78 OSIERS AND WILLOWS 



and early summer and at once attack the developing 

 shoots and leaves, causing great injury by eating into 

 the growing point of the rod. Eggs are laid in 

 groups on the underside of the leaves, and in a 

 short time produce small dirty grey or yellow coloured 

 grubs or larvae, which at first remain together eating 

 away the underside of the leaf. Later, as they grow 

 larger, they spread to other leaves, devouring each so 

 that only the upper paper-like cuticle is left, and, in 

 severe cases, all the leaves on the plants are killed. 

 When full fed, the larvae fall to the earth and change 

 into pupae from which beetles are produced. There 

 are two broods of beetles in the season, but the genera- 

 tions overlap somewhat, so that beetles and larvae are 

 often found together. The beetles of the second brood 

 leave the rods in autumn and crawl into heaps of 

 rubbish, under the bark, and into the crevices in 

 pollard willows, and shelter there during the winter, 

 reappearing to attack the willows again the following 

 spring. 



Beetles of the genus Phyllodecta are common all over 

 the country, and all willow-growing areas are subject 

 to their attacks. They are perhaps especially harmful 

 in the Midland and East Anglian districts. 



Galerucella Beetle (Galerucella lineola), This insect 

 in the adult state is a yellow brown beetle with dark 

 markings on the upr^er surface. In its life-history and 

 habits, with the exception of certain minor differences, 

 it resembles the Phyllodecta beetles just described. It 

 appears, however, to spend the winter in damper places, 

 and is specially harmful in the Somerset district. 



Willow Weevil (Cryptorrhynchus lapathi}. This 

 beetle, on account of its long trunk or proboscis is 

 sometimes known as the elephant beetle. It is partly 



