64 INSECTS AFFECTING VEGETATION 



tered mostly from about 2 to 3 inches below the surface of the soil 

 and within a radius of 1% to 2 feet from the base of the vine. The 

 full-grown larva is about five-eighths of an inch long, the body whit- 

 ish, resting in a curved position. The head is yellowish brown in 

 color, with a transverse diameter somewhat less than that of the 

 body. 



The full-grown larva prepares an earthen cell, within which it 

 shortly changes to the pupa or turtle stage. In this condition the 

 insect is soft and helpless, and the earthen cells are readily broken 

 open and the pupae crushed or otherwise killed by stirring the soil. 

 As stated, the majority of the larvaj pupate about 2 or 3 inches below 

 the surface of the ground, and this makes possible their destruction 

 in large numbers by timely cultivations, as will be explained under 

 the discussion of remedies. 



The insect may be fought in three important ways, namely, by 

 poisoning the adults with an arsenical spray, jarring them from the 

 vines onto sheets, and destroying the pupa3 in the soil by cultivation. 



Shortly after emergence the beetles begin to feed upon the 

 foliage, eating holes in the upper surface of the grape leaves, and 

 hence may be readily poisoned. To be effective, however, the poi- 

 soned spray must be applied at the right times and with great thor- 

 oughness. The beetles begin to put in an appearance at about the 

 close of the blooming period. Careful watch should be kept, and 

 upon the first signs of the chain-like feeding marks on the leaves the 

 vines should be thoroughly sprayed with a poison. A second ap- 

 plication should be made in a week or ten days. These applications 

 are intended to poison the newly emerged beetles during their first 

 feeding and before they have deposited their eggs to any extent. If 

 applications be delayed two or three weeks beyond the time indi- 

 cated, a considerable percentage of the eggs will have been deposited, 

 and the treatments will lose much of their value. Vineyardists hav- 

 ing this pest to contend with should not make the mistake of spray- 

 ing a little too late, but should have everything in readiness to begin 

 applications upon the first appearance of the beetles. The beetles 

 plainly avoid feeding on foliage sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or 

 arsenate of lead, seeking the unsprayed leaves as much as possible. 

 It is therefore especially necessary to make applications with great 

 thoroughness, poisoning as nearly as possible the upper surface of 

 every leaf, so that the beetles will be poisoned or forced to leave the 

 vines for food. This desired thoroughness of treatment is not ob- 

 tained as a rule by vineyardists, and greater care should be exercised 

 in this work. In commercial vineyards the tendency will be to 

 hurry through the work, covering 12 or 15 acres per day, using an 

 insufficient amount of spray. With the spraying machinery in com- 

 mon use 7 to 8 acres per day is about all that may be covered with 

 the desired thoroughness and about 125 gallons of spray mixture 

 should be applied per acre. In spraying for the grape root-worm, 

 the poison, 3 Ibs. of arsenate of lead should always be applied in 

 Bordeaux mixture. 



