390 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



Life History. The winter is passed in the egg stage, the eggs 

 being black and shining and located on the stems and on the 

 midribs of the leaves. The eggs hatch early in the spring and 

 the young aphids feed on the young leaves in the crown. This 

 generation is composed of wingless females which give birth to 



FIG. 325. Strawberry root-lice clustered on small rootlets from crown of 

 plant greatly enlarged. 



living young and this method of reproduction continues until 

 fall when males appear and the eggs are again produced. Shortly 

 after the aphids have become active the ants appear and carry 

 many of the young aphids down and place them on the roots 

 of the plants. This ant is the same as the one which harbors 

 the corn-root aphis. (See page 152.) On the roots of the plant 

 the aphids cause the most of the damage, weakening and even 

 killing the plants. They are transferred from plant to plant 

 by the ants in the underground stage while above ground winged 

 forms which fly to fresh food plants appear from time to time. 

 Control. The aphid is largely kept in check by parasitic 

 enemies similar to those described as attacking the ''green-bug" 



