INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CLOVER 



209 



" That alfalfa be disked in early spring to stimulate it to better 

 growth. That the first growth be cut when the most of the eggs 

 have been laid (middle of May) and then brush-drag the field 

 thoroughly. Fields should be brush-dragged again after the first 

 crop has been cut. All weeds and rubbish should be cleaned 

 from the fields, yards, ditches and fence rows so that there will be 

 less opportunity for the weevils to find winter shelter. Alfalfa 

 should not be allowed to grow more than seven or eight years in 

 infested districts." 



The Clover-mite * 



The Clover-mite is nearly related to the common red spider 

 of greenhouses, with which it is often confused, belonging to the 

 same family of vegetable- 

 feeding mites. It is 

 however, about twice the 

 size of the red spider, being 

 fully three-tenths of an inch 

 long. 



Though known as the 

 clover-mite, on account of 

 its feeding upon that plant, 

 yet this insect was first 

 known as, and is still, an 

 important enemy of fruit- 

 trees, more especially on 

 the Pacific coast, but also in 

 other sections of the country . 

 The most injury seems to 

 have been done to clover in 

 the Central States as far 

 south as Tennessee, though it has suffered somewhat even in 

 the East. 



When attacked by the mite the leaves of clover or fruit- 



* Bryobia pratensis Carman. Family Tetranychidce. See C. L. Marlatt, 

 Circular 19, 2d Ser., Division of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agr. 



FIG. 



150. The Clover-mite (Bryobia 



pratensis) . 



