THE RASPBERRY BEETLE. 2/ 



For the larvae, Mr, Theobald* has recommended watering the 

 roots of the plants with the following mixture: One quart of 

 soft soap dissolved in one gallon of boiling soft water, to which 

 add one pint of crude carbolic acid. The whole to be mixed by 

 means of a force pump into an emulsion. If bottled off and kept 

 airtight, it will keep some time. When required for use, take one 

 part of the emulsion and add to thirty parts of water. 



This sometimes proved effective; at other times it proved 

 injurious to the plants, or only destroyed the larvae near to the 

 surface. 



Boiling water alone often proved successful ; in some cases, 

 however, the plant was injured by such treatment. 



For the destruction of the larvae, " Vaporite " was certainly 

 the most satisfactory. In all the trials it had the same effect, and 

 there was no injury to the plants. 



In all conservatories and greenhouses, a few toads will prove 

 very valuable in destroying this and other pests. 



THE RASPBERRY BEETLE. 



Byturus tomentosus, Fabr. 



Early in June specimens of this beetle were forwarded by 

 various correspondents in Staffordshire. It is a well-known species, 

 common throughout the country, and, in addition to attacking 

 raspberries, it is often found on wild and cultivated blackberries. 



LIFE-HISTORY. 



As soon as the raspberry blossom buds open, the female beetle 

 deposits therein her eggs; these hatch out in due course, and the 

 larvae, which are of a yellowish-grey colour, marked by a brownish 

 transverse stripe in the middle of the segments, and provided with 

 two pointed curved spines posteriorly, at once commence to eat 

 their way into the receptacle of the fruit, later eating into the fruit 

 and completely destroying it. In some cases only one side of the 

 fruit is damaged, whilst in others it assumes a stunted or deformed 

 shape. The larvae become full-fed about the time the fruit is 

 ripe. They now leave the fruit and make their way into holes and 

 crevices in the poles, c: shelter at the base of the stock in the earth, 

 where they form a cocoon, pupate, and remain throughout the 

 winter, hatching out about the middle of May. 



PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



Jarring the poles over tarred boards or sacks on dull days, 

 when the beetles are inactive, will rid the canes of large numbers. 

 Deeply burying the surface soil will bury the pupae also. 

 Prunings, old canes, poles, etc., should be burnt in the winter. 



Second Rpt. Econ. Zool., 1904, p. 160. 



