2 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



suggests the root beetle. Moreover, Professor Wickson who was horti- 

 cultural editor of the "Press" at the time, remembers that the article 

 had reference to this species as we now know it, and not to the flea-beetle 

 with which it has been commonly confused. 



The first full account of its occurrence in this State appears in an 

 article by Matthew Cooke 1 in 1883. He confuses it with the flea-beetle, 

 but he gives it the scientific name of Adoxus vitis, and from his account 

 there is no mistaking the insect to which he refers. He states that 

 "it was reported from at least six of the vire-growing sections of the 

 State in 1882, and in 1883 was destroying the vines infested. One 

 vineyard in the vicinity of Sacramento was damaged seriously that 

 spring. Its mode of attack is similar to that of the steel-blue flea- 

 beetle (Haltica chalybea 111.), and it frequently damages young vines 

 to such an extent that they die. It is an insect enemy of the vine that 

 must be eradicated." 



There is nothing said about the life history in this account, except 

 that it attacks the vine in the same way as the flea-beetle. It is also 

 given the common name of "Imported Grape Flea-beetle," and we 

 therefore infer that he knew nothing of its attacking the roots. Neither 

 is there anything in the literature of the State which has appeared 

 since that would indicate that it is a root feeder. 



Its economic status as given by Cooke was based entirely on the 

 damage done to the leaves. Important as that is, it is really of much 

 less consequence than the attack on the roots, as is now known to be 

 the case. Accounts of injury by this beetle have appeared from time 

 to time since in the press of the State. Alexander Craw 2 then State 

 quarantine officer, gave a short account of the beetle in 1897. He 

 described its attack on the leaves, and figured a leaf showing the char- 

 acteristic work of the beetle, but was apparently unaware of its under- 

 ground habits. 



Riley and Howard 3 in 1891 stated that "In Europe Adoxus vitis 

 is injurious to the grape, the larva? feeding on the roots and the beetle 

 destroying the leaves, whereas in America it is only known to attack 

 a wild plant (Epttobium). Mr. E. Dupont has recently investigated 

 the subject of oviposition and finds that it occurs only on the foliage, 

 the young larva afterwards entering the ground. The life history of 

 Adoxus is thus in conformity with that of an allied species, Chryso- 

 clius auratus which lives on Apocynum and rosoemifolium. We have 

 found the eggs on the leaves and the larvae underground feeding on 

 the roots. The nearest North American allies of Adoxus, viz., the 

 species of Fidia, also infest the grapevine, but their life histories have 



1 Injurious Insects of the Orchard and Vineyard, 1883. 



2 Destructive Insects, 1897. 



3 Insect Life, vol. Ill, p. 349. 



