340 Bush-Fruits 



THE GOOSEBERRY MIDGE 



Dasyneura grossulariae, Fitch 



This insect is a small, yellowish fly, with black eyes, scarcely one- 

 tenth of an inch long, resembling a mosquito in form. The eggs, 

 which are deposited beneath the skin of the young fruit, hatch and 

 develop into small, bright yellow, oval maggots, resembling those 

 of the wheat midge. These change to pupae within the fruit, and 

 emerge as perfect flies in midsummer. Further than this the life 

 history seems to be unknown. Their presence causes the fruit to 

 turn prematurely red and become soft and putrid within. 



Remedies. The only remedy thus far known to be effective is to 

 pick and destroy all fruit which turns prematurely. 

 Reference. 



Fitch, Kept. N. Y. State Ent. 1: 176. 



THE YELLOW CURRANT FRUIT-FLY 



Epochra canadensis, Loew 



This insect is a yellow or orange-colored fly, about the size of 

 the common house-fly, with greenish iridescent eyes and smoky 

 patches or bands across its wings. It punctures the skin of the 

 young currant or gooseberry, depositing its egg just beneath. This 

 soon develops into a small white grub which measures about one- 

 third of an inch in length. Its presence causes the fruit to turn 

 red and fall to the ground prematurely. After becoming full grown, 

 the maggots leave the fruit and enter the ground, where they change 

 to pupae, emerging as perfect flies early the following summer. 



This insect is most troublesome in the West, especially in the 

 Mountain region, where wild groselles are abundant and afford 

 breeding-grounds for it. In Colorado it is considered the worst 

 enemy of these fruits. 



Remedies. No very practicable remedy seems yet to have been 

 found. The insect spends about eleven months of the year safely 

 buried in the ground. No way of destroying the mature flies seems 

 feasible, and the egg is deposited beneath the skin of the fruit be- 

 yond the reach of insecticides. Part of the infested fruit drops pre- 



