ANNUAL REPORT, 1934 31 



THE CRANBERRY STATION 



(East Wareham, Massachusetts) 



H. J. Franklin in Charge 



Injurious and Beneficial Insects Affecting the Cranberry. (H. J. Franklin.) 



Control of the Cranberry Root Grub (Amphicoma vulpina). Flooding to control 

 this pest, described in the last two annual reports of the station (Bulletins 293 

 and 305) was tried on four different bogs this season with practically complete 

 success on three and partial failure on the fourth. 



Dust Insecticides. Extensive tests of dust mixtures containing high grade 

 pyrethrum, low grade pyrethrum, rotenone, and nicotine were conducted to 

 determine their relative value as controls for the blunt-nosed leafhopper and the 

 blackheaded fireworm. The high grade pyrethrum mixture proved much more 

 satisfactory against both these pests than the others, cost and effectiveness both 

 considered. The nicotine dusts, though prepared especially for these tests by the 

 chemists of a large corporation dealing in tobacco products, proved nearly worth- 

 less. The rotenone dusts were effective when used in sufficient strength and 

 quantity, but they were much more expensive than the high grade pyrethrum 

 mixture. Low grade pyrethrum was not very effective. 



The Grape Anomala {Anomala errans Fab. 1 ). Grubs of an unknown kind were 

 found abundant in the turf of Mr. Royal Turner's bog in Sharon, Mass., on 

 April 10 and May 10, 1934. They had very seriously damaged three or four 

 acres of the bog by devouring the finer roots of the vines much as the cranberry 

 root grub {Amphicoma} does. Large areas had become rather bare of vines on 

 this account. Many of the grubs were dug out of the soil on May 10 and placed 

 in sand in cans. Some of these cans were opened on June 1 and nearly all the 

 grubs were found to have pupated. More of the cans were opened on June 15, 

 and nearly all the pupae had then changed to beetles. Only one pupa remained, 

 this being reddish brown and about a third of an inch long. It wriggled actively 

 when disturbed. The beetles varied in color from pale yellow to black, the yellow 

 ones being far more numerous than the darker forms. They could fly but did 

 so but little. They were clever at feigning death and did so very often. They 

 commonly proceeded to bury themselves in dirt or sand when they were placed 

 on it. They would not eat cranberry or apple foliage but ate grape leaves very 

 freely in confinement. On June 25, they were found to have laid many eggs in 

 the sand in the cans in which they were confined. The eggs were scattered singly 

 through the sand. They were milk white, smooth, shiny, oval, and about one 

 and a half millimeters long. Some of the beetles were alive and some dead in the 

 cans on July 2. All were dead July 6. The eggs had not begun to hatch July 6, 

 many had hatched July 8, and all were hatched on the morning of July 9. There 

 seems to be no record of a previous appearance of this insect as a cranberry pest. 

 The infestation of Turner's bog was probably made easy by the considerable 

 growth of grape vines around it. 



The flooding treatment now advocated for the control of the cranberry root 

 grub (see above) was applied and almost entirely eradicated the Anomala in- 

 festation. 



The Chain-spotted Geometer (Cingilia catenaria). In July 1934, there was a 

 serious outbreak of the caterpillars of this insect in Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich 

 and Barnstable. It was most harmful in East Falmouth, Mashpee, the south part 



'Identified by H. C. Fall. 



Generally named Anomala lucicola Fab. in entomological literature. 



