14 



spots along the costa, the largest in the middle, and short blackish- 

 brown streaks on the median nervure, subcostal, in the fold, and one or 

 two at the tip of the wing ; cilia fuscous grey. Hind wings fuscous 

 grey ; cilia grey, tinted with yellowish." 



^Specimens of the larvae obtained late in the season were found alive 

 within their thin silken cocoons on the 12th of January, rendering it pro- 

 bable that this brood hybernate in the larval state, and transform to' 

 pupae in the spring, a short time before their appearance in their perfect 

 state. 



The above strawberry root or crown-borer of Saunders should not be con- 

 founded with the strawberry crown-borer of Riley an insect belonging 

 not to the order of Lepidoptera, but to the Coleoptera, of the family 

 commonly known as snout-beetles or weevils. This latter insect has 

 been described and figured in its larval and perfect stages by Prof. 

 Riley (Third Report on the Insects of Missouri, p. 42, fig. 14, 1871) as 

 Analcis fragrance. So far as known, it is confined to the Mississippi 

 valley, and has not, to our knowledge, been reported from the Eastern 

 States. Its habit of boring down through the crown of the strawberry 

 plant into the pith and eating through the more woody portions, is very 

 similar to that recorded of the Anarsia lineatella, and the ravages of the 

 two insects in localities where they conjointly occur, are liable to be con- 

 founded. The general use of common names for our insects, birds, 

 fishes, mammals, etc., very often results in serious confusion, when with 

 little difficuly the scientific name, which always indicates the object 

 referred to, could be acquired. 



It is gratifying to know, that in all probability, this destructive pest 

 has already been attacked by a parasite which promises to perform an 

 effective part in checking its ravages. The " pupa apparently tilled with 

 parasitic eggs," referred to in the communication accompanying the 

 examples sent to me, is the dead body of a caterpillar, distended to its 

 utmost capacity by the presence of no less than fifty-one pupa-cases of 

 apparently some hymenopterous insect. They had been crushed in their 

 transit through the mail, preventing the perfect insect being obtained 

 from them, or even an approximate reference of their relationship. 

 Prof. Riley has also received examples of the caterpillars infested with 

 parasites. 



Should the increase of this insect riot be prevented by parasitic agency, 

 then the most effectual means of arresting it will be the cutting off of 

 the infested terminal twigs of the trees upon which it occurs readily to 

 be distinguished by the drying up of the leaves and burning them with 

 their contained borers. This must be done during the month of May 

 or early in June, before the larvae have attained their maturity, after 

 which they leave their burrows to seek some sheltered place beneath 

 the loose bark of the trunk, leaves upon the ground, or elsewhere, where 

 they may construct their cocoons arid undergo their final transforma- 

 tion. Strawberry plants giving indication of their presence, should 

 be promptly uprooted and burned. 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, ) 

 January 22, 1879. j" 



