THE STRAWBERRY WEEVIL 271 



five or six injured buds to each flower cluster. On one large 

 spray over two -thirds had been killed." 



It was found that the work of the insect on the blackberry did 

 not differ materially, either in appearance or ultimate injury, from 

 that on the strawberry. In the strawberry, however, the punc- 

 tures were nearly always plainly seen, both on the bud and the 

 stem beneath, while in the blackberry only a small proportion of 

 the blighted buds showed the punctures plainly. Sometimes the 

 wounded spot in the calyx had healed up or grown over, so as to 

 be nearly invisible, and in other cases the punctures had been 

 made between the sepals. 



"Raspberries of the black-cap varieties appear to be exempt 

 from the attack of the strawberry weevil, but whether or not the 

 red raspberry enjoys the same immunity has not been ascertained. 

 On Mr. Sprangle's place, at Falls Church, a patch of black-caps, 

 which is located between the infested strawberry bed and black- 

 berry bushes previously referred to, was repeatedly examined for 

 traces of the attack of this insect, but most careful search failed 

 to show any signs of injury, and no beetles were found, even with 

 the aid of a beating net. 



The wild plant, Rubus villosus (that is, R. nigrobaccus) is prob- 

 ably the natural food -plant of this species. Dewberries, Rubus 

 Canadensis (that is, R. villosus) were examined and a number of 

 injured buds were found, but on close inspection proved to contain 

 only Dipterous larvsB. It is still somewhat doubtful whether this 

 species is attacked or not, but it certainly is not to any great 

 extent." 



The following is Chittenden's summary of the life-history of 

 the species: "The insect undergoes true hibernation, i. e., in the 

 adult state, and in April individuals of this hibernating brood 

 begin to crawl forth from their winter quarters, fly to the nearest 

 flowers, and commence feeding. They probably continue to issue 

 from their hiding-places for a month after the first arrivals make 

 their appearance. 



"Blackberries are invaded at the time that the [plants begin 

 blooming, or about four or five weeks later than the strawberry. 

 Wild blackberry is visited still later, and the beetles continue on 



