BULLETIN OF THE 



Ml 



No. 263 



Contribution from Bureau of Entomology, L. 0. Howard, Chief. 

 July 19, 1915. 



(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 



THE CRANBERRY ROOTWORM. 



By H. B. Scahmell, Entomological Assistant, Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 



INTRODUCTION. 2 



The investigation of cranberry insects in New Jersey has included 

 the biological study of a beetle, well known to collectors for more than 

 a century, but unrecorded, until recently, as a pest to the cranberry. 

 Attention was first called to it on the cranberry bogs by Mr. T. B. 

 Gaskill, of Xew Egypt, N. J., who reported injury in a bog in his 

 vicinity and sent specimens of larvae, pupse, and beetles to the Bureau 

 of Entomology for determination. Adult specimens, submitted to 

 Mr. E. A. Schwarz, were determined as Rhabdopterus picipes Oliv., 

 of the family Chrysonielidas. 



Mr. A. L. Quaintance (1912), 3 of the Bureau of Entomology, after 

 making a visit to the infested bog in June of 1912, presented his obser- 

 vations on the extent and character of the injury and the feeding and 

 probable egg-laying habits of the beetle before the Entomological 

 Society of Washington. These notes were the first published records 

 pertaining to the economic importance of this insect. 



Rhabdopterus picipes was first described by Olivier (180S) from 

 the collection of Bosc in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris, being placed 

 by him in the genus Colaspis. It was later described by Say 

 (1824) under the name Colaspis pretezta. Le Conte, when he edited 

 the writings of Say (1859), made note that Colaspis pretezta Say is 

 ( 'olaspis picipes Oliv. The genus Rhabdopterus was erected by 

 Lefevre in L885, and a few years later Horn (1892) transferred picipes 

 from Colaspis to Rhabdopterus. 



L.iii r writers have made mention of the food plants of the beetle, 

 bul only "ne larval host is known. With the finding of the larvae 

 on cranberry roots and the 'lying of the vines in infested areas it was 



deemed advisable tO devote special attention to the habits and 



Colec Uy Chrj omelida 



* The Illustrations used In thl from photographs b Mi rs.H K P] ondJ.H. Paine, of 



the Bureau of Entomology, The au ledgi th< i IstonceofMr, Plan! to 



carrying on \f ilea of i be < i roi m, 



• p.i Iteraturi cited/' p. 8. 



— IS 



