108 Insect Pests. 



the ova are hatched, and thus all damage caused by the maggot is 

 prevented. 



In most cases the invaded blossoms fall when the larva* have 

 reached maturity, in any case they will fall if the trees are shaken, 

 and we must remember that the pupa? are still in these dead inflores- 

 cences when they fall or are shaken to the ground. Those from which 

 the beetles have escaped can at once be detected by the large round 

 hole near the base of the blossom. So great a number of these 

 Coleoptera appear in some seasons (especially noticeable for the 

 reasons given above, when there have been dull, damp and frosty 

 nights) that as much as 40 per cent, of the apple crop has often 

 been destroyed by them. It is particularly abundant in Kent, and 

 is also extremely destructive in Worcestershire, Cambridgeshire and 

 in other counties. Miss Ormerod (1) records a case at Eedditch in 

 which 25 per cent, of the blossoms were damaged. This is, however, 

 nothing to some attacks. The usual time for the beetle to be seen 

 is about the first week in April, and from then right on through the 

 summer. The diseased blossoms commence to show from the middle 

 of May to the middle of June. Both early and late apples are alike 

 attacked, none as far as I know being immune against this pest. 

 The middle crop suffers most of all. 



With regard to pears, the damage is comparatively slight, A. 

 pomorum only occasionally visits that fruit tree. 



PREVENTION. 



With regard to preventive measures, there are several points 

 dependent on the natural economy of the pest worth considering. 

 First, with regard to preventing a future attack. The blossoms that 

 show a backward state and become brow r n at the tips, are those 

 that contain either the larvw or pupae of the beetle. They readily 

 fall if the tree is jarred in fact, great numbers do without being 

 shaken ; they can then be collected and burnt, thereby destroying 

 many of the weevils that will not only live upon the leafage during 

 the summer, but also hibernate and come out and place their eggs in 

 the buds next year. Care must be taken to do this soon enough, 

 that is, before the weevils have escaped from the dead blossoms. 

 This would be sure to lessen very largely the amount of future 

 attack. 



Several fruit-growers have told me that they have seen weevils in 

 the grease bands when they have been left on late. There does not 

 seem sufficient evidence, however, to justify grease-banding for this 



