34 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 176 



probably four broods a year in the southern counties of the state. However, 

 the big damage comes before and at picking time. The winter is passed ap- 

 parently largely in the larval stage. The moth expands slightly more than one 

 half an inch and when seen on wing has a brownish appearance, the fore wings 

 being also marked with lighter and darker streaks. The strawberry grower 

 readily detects these in the patch and speaks of them as brownish moths or 

 millers. 



CONTROL. Arsenical sprays are effective if applied at the right time. Watch 

 for the appearance of the moths early in the spring usually the latter half of 

 April in the southern strawberry belt, and spray promptly with two pounds of 

 arsenate of lead powder to fifty gallons of water. The plan is to poison the 

 young worms before they have folded over the two halves of the leaflets as 

 protection while feeding. If this early spray is not effective repeat it after 

 the crop is off and the next broods of moths appear in the patch. Some prac- 

 tice mowing and burning over patches after the crop is off. Where this is done 

 it should be so timed as to catch the pest in the pupa stage about the last week 

 in July in southwest Missouri. Destroy old abandoned patches and volunteer 

 plants. 



Strawberry Slugs. Two species of slugs are reported on strawberries, 



tho the black-marked species (E. maculata) 

 is the more important in this state. It is 

 the larva of a sawfly related to the im- 

 ported currant-worm. The larvae begins 

 to attack the foliage when the crop of ber- 

 ries is about half developed. One thorough 

 application of two pounds of arsenate of 

 lead powder to fifty gallons of water at 

 that time will usually end the trouble. 

 FIG. 32. Strawberry Slug; Adult This spray and the one for leaf-roller may 



much enlarged be combined where both pests are at wor " k 



on a patch. 



Strawberry Weevil (Anthonomus slgnatus). This pest does not do 

 much damage in this state tho some complain of it. Where present it cuts the 

 stems of blossoms after the egg is deposited in the blossom bud. 



CONTROL. Clean culture in and about the patch with the setting of new 

 patches often and the plowing under of old patches will usually control this 

 pest. It attacks only the staminate varieties but commercial growers select 

 commercial varieties, be they varieties subject to attack or those immune to 

 attack. 



Tarnished Plant-bug. This plant-bug breeds in the strawberry patches 

 and the overwintering adults often do serious damage to the crop. They at- 

 tack the blossom buds and young fruits causing them to be imperfect or as the 

 grower terms it "buttoning" of the fruit. 



CONTROL. Clean culture in and near the patch during the winter as well 

 as the summer will reduce the number of adults to pass the winter in the patch 

 or nearby and thus reduce early spring injury. Systematic driving of the pest 

 with the wind early in the spring is suggested also as a means of lessening the 

 injury to strawberries the same as in case of budded nursery stock. Sprays 

 and hand gathering is impractical in the commercial field. 



