20 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 



Strong connection to the tree, should not fall soon enough to secure the 

 welfare of the grub within it ; for this vital connection is sooner disturbed 

 by the worm than it would be if the egg had been deposited at the apex. 

 When the egg hatches the larva, sometimes, it is 

 presumed, it falls from ihe nidus or nest, and the fruit 

 remains unharmed ; but most generally, in four or 

 five days from the time the egg is laid, a small blu- 

 ish line, near the skin, may be seen, extending from 

 his mark, {fig- 24,) which signifies that the grub is 

 within. And also when his mark has assumed a 

 bluish tint, you may be certain that destruction will 

 follow ; for when you see these signs, take the plum 

 from the tree, and cut off a small portion where the 

 mark is, and you will notice that the larva has bur- 

 rowed down into it. 



The efi'ect, upon the plum or other fruit, of tne lar- 

 va within, is to cause it to shrivel and decay, and 

 after a while it falls. By the time the plum falls, the 

 Incision, near the base, in insect has nearly or quite completed his larva or grub 



large plums. The small stage, and then he leaves it and goes down a little 



or discolored spot, at . , , 



the inner line of the ^ay mto the earth. 



mark, is the nest where Here, in the earth, he undergoes his transformation, 



the egg lies. {fis- 25,) which is performed in about fifteen or 



twenty days, in the mouth of June or fore part of July. But all the larvce 

 (so far as I have observed,) that go into the earth about as late as the 20th 

 of July, do not ascend that season, but re- 24 



main ihere in the pupa stage {fig. 26,) until 

 the next spring. We are to observe then, 

 that there are two generations in one season, 

 of these insects, and this fact it is important 

 to know ; for if the first generation in the 

 larva and beetle stages is destroyed, we have 

 little to fear from the second, which operates 

 in July. 



The kinds of fruit, and the only kinds, 

 which the Curculio injures, as far as I have 

 observed, are the plum, apricot, nectarine, 

 peach, cherry and apple, and these I have Showing the blue line, which indi- 

 placed in the order in which he seems to pre- *=*'«^^ ^^^^ '^^ grub is eating within, 

 fer them. But I would remark, that he is not the only insect which makes 

 the apple wormy. The codling moth does great injury to the apple crop, 

 and the caterpillar of this moth should not be mistaken for the larva of 

 the Curculio. 



