BULLETIN OF THE 



n 



No. 235 



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

 June 24, 1915. 



CONTROL OF DRIED-FRUIT INSECTS IN CALI- 

 FORNIA. 1 



By 



William B. Parker, 2 Entomological Assistant, Truck-Crop and Stored-Product Insect 



Investigations. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The State of California is especially adapted to the raising of fruits. 

 It is manifest that only a part of the great crop which is annually 

 produced may be marketed in a fresh condition, since it is impossible 

 to preserve semitropical and other soft fruits for more than a very 

 limited time in the fresh state. The fruit canneries and the dried- 

 fruit industry have accordingly been formed with a view to the utiliza- 

 tion of the surplus fruit and have assumed large proportions, the 

 production of dried fruits for the State of California being estimated 

 at 140,000 carloads annually. 



The importance of this industry and the fact that numerous in- 

 quiries are made concerning the control of the insects which attack 

 dried fruits warrant investigation of the insect enemies of dried fruits 

 in California. This was undertaken in a preliminary way in 1908, but 

 owing to lack of funds was discontinued until 1911, at which time the 

 writer, working under the direction of Dr. F. H. Chittenden, was 

 assigned to this project. The investigation has been continued to 

 the time of publication, and the preliminary notes are herewith sub- 

 mitted. 



1 The observations in this bulletin and the data on life history and habits were obtained in central Cali- 

 fornia, the author having his headquarters at Sacramento, but it is probable that these particulars do not 

 differ materially in other fruit-growing sections of the United States, especially in the eastern and southern 

 fruit regions. 



2 Resigned Aug. 31, 1914. 



Note. — The writer has been assisted in this investigation by the Roeding Fig Packing Co., the Rosenberg 

 Co., Mr. D. L. Smith, of the Schuckl Co., the California Dried Fruit Exchange, the Robt. Gair Co., and 

 the Petterson Carton Wrapping & Sealing Machine Co., who by their cooperation have greatly facilitated 

 the prosecution of this project. He also wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. R. E. Campbell, of the 

 Bureau of Entomology, who brought to completion some of the experiments detailed in this paper. 

 90548°— Bull. 235—15 



