182 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE PLUM. 



body, a row of minute black bristles below the lines, a 

 second row, less distinct, above, and a few pale hairs towards 

 the hinder extremity. At a, Fig. 192, it is shown magnified. 

 The skin of the larva being semi-transparent, the color of the 

 internal organs shows through, imparting to the central por- 

 tions of the body a reddish hue. The irritation arising from 

 the wound and the gnawing of the grub causes the fruit to 

 become diseased and gummy, and it falls prematurely to the 

 ground, generally before the larva is quite full grown. Within 

 the fallen plum the growth of the larva is completed, when, 

 forsaking the fruit it has destroyed, it enters the ground, bury- 

 ing itself from four to six inches deep, where, turning round 

 and round, it compresses the earth on all sides, until a smooth 

 oval cavity is formed, within which, in a few days, the larva 

 changes to a pupa, shown, enlarged, at 6, Fig. 192, and in 

 from three to six weeks is transformed to a beetle, which 

 is at first soft and of a reddish color, but soon hardens, and, 

 assuming its natural hue, makes its way through the soil to 

 the surface and escapes. 



The insect is single-brooded, the beetle hibernating in 

 secluded spots, under the loose bark of trees and in other 

 suitable places. About the time the plum-trees blossom 

 the curculios are on the alert, and as soon as the fruit is 

 formed the work of destruction begins. Both males and 

 females puncture the fruit to feed on it, but only the females 

 make the peculiar crescent-shaped marks described. They 

 are much more numerous during the early part of the season 

 than later on, and when the weather is warm they are active 

 at night, and deposit eggs then as well as in the daytime. 

 During the middle of the day, and also on warm nights, the 

 beetle readily takes wing; it is less active during the morning 

 and evening. Besides the plum, the peach, nectarine, and 

 apricot also suffer much from its attacks, and it is very in- 

 jurious to the cherry. In this latter case the infested fruit 

 remains hanging on the tree, and the presence of the enemy 

 is often unnoticed. The beetle also occasionally deposits its 



