124 



Forty-third Report on the State Museum. 



[28] 



This particular deformation of the raspberry cane is known as the 

 raspberry gout.y-gall. Its architect lives through the winter. It is 

 the larva of one of the Buprestida; beetles, which 

 was described by Fabricius a century ago, under 

 the specific name of ruficollis, referring to the 

 coppery-red color of its thorax. It is now known 

 as Agrilus ruficollis (Fabr.). From the history 

 of its transformations as traced by Prof. Riley, 

 we learn that the eggs of the beetle are deposited 

 in the growing canes of the raspberry and 

 blackberry during the months of July or August. 

 The larvae which soon hatch therefrom pass into 

 the sap-wood and burrow through it in an 

 obliquely transverse direction, producing the 

 irregular swellings during the jDeriod of the flow 

 of the sap, shown in the figure, and eventually 

 killing the cane, through girdling it, especially 

 when several larvae unite in their operations 

 within one of these elongated galls. The larvte 

 are often killed in northerly latitudes by the 

 winter's cold, but if they survive, early in the 

 spring — April or May — when they have nearly 

 attained their growth, they penetrate into the 

 Fig. 13. — The rasp- piti^^ where they undergo their pupal trans- 

 Agbilus KuricoLLis. foi'iii^-tion, and the perfect beetles emerge dur- 

 (After Riley.) i^g June and July, to couple and deposit the 



eggs for another brood. 



Remedy. 

 The above knowledge of the history of this pest places within 

 our hands an easy method of controlling its injuries. It is only 

 necessary to make thorough search for the gouty canes during 

 the winter and early spring, and to cut them out and burn 

 them ; and to the extent that this work is done, to the same extent 

 will future depredations be prevented. 



Distribution. 

 This insect seems not to prove very injurious in the northern por- 

 tion of the United States. Although included in the entomological 

 reports of Canada, it does not definitely appear that it occurs there. 

 I have taken it rarelji in the State of New York. The examples in 

 my collection bear date of capture of July thirtieth. 



