REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION 243 



after the beetles have appeared on the vines and before oviposition has 

 begun. The poison may well be applied in the form of a spray and can be 

 combined with materials used against other insects and diseases that are 

 commonly injurious to the grape. The first application in the spring should 

 be made soon after the fruit has set and this may be followed up, if neces- 

 sary, with other applications at intervals of two weeks. The young beetles 

 may be killed by spraying in August or September. Thorough spraying can 

 be depended upon to almost entirely prevent injury to the fruit by this insect. 



Enclosing the bunches of grapes in two-pound or three-pound paper bags 

 soon after the blossoms have disappeared will exclude the beetles and insure 

 perfect fruit. In placing the bags they should be opened and slipped over the 

 young clusters and the mouth folded and pinned around the stems. If 

 properly done, the bags will stay in place until the fruit is ripe. This 

 method is too expensive to be used on a large scale except in cases where 

 fancy fruit is desired regardless of cost. It may be practiced in a small 

 way with excellent results. One person should, with a little practice, place 

 from 1,000 to 2,000 bags in a day. 



The cultivation of the soil in vineyards undoubtedly destroys many of 

 the curculios while they are undergoing transformation within the cocoon. 

 The beetles may be collected with fair success early in the morning or on 

 cool days by jarring or shaking the vines over sheets spread on the ground. 



Whatever method of control is adopted, it is frequently advisable to 

 supplement the work by the cutting out of all wild and worthless grape vines 

 that may be growing near the cultivated vines. Such wild vines frequently 

 serve as breeding places for the beetles and should either be sprayed with 

 as much care as the vineyards or destroyed. 



THE GRAPEVINE ROOT-BORER. 

 Introduction. 



The grapevine root-borer, Memythrus polistiformis Harris, belongs to a 

 family of moths (Aegeriidae) which is represented in this country by several 

 well known and destructive species. The larvae of various members of the 

 group are commonly designated as "borers" on account of their habit of 

 burrowing through the bark, stems, wood and roots of plants. The different 

 species of the family attack a great variety of valuable trees and smaller 

 plants that grow in the garden, orchard and forest. The grapevine root- 

 borer is not so well known generally as the nearly allied peach borers, 

 squash vine borer, and some other members of the group. This is due in part 

 to the fact that it is not at present so widely and abundantly distributed as 

 the other species mentioned and in part to its habits of concealment during 

 the four stages which comprise its life cycle. 



The eggs are small and inconspicuous and can be found only by careful 

 search, even in badly infested vineyards; the larvae feed in the roots beneath 

 the ground and throw no castings to the surface as an indication of their 

 presence; the pupa occupies an earth-covered cocoon in the soil; and the 

 adult simulates so closely in form and flight the common wasps of the 

 genus Polistes, that the casual observer does not recognize it as a moth. It 

 thus happens frequently that a vineyard will be quite badly infested by this 

 insect while the owner remains entirely unaware of its presence. 



