CONTROL OF DRIED-FRUIT INSECTS IN CALIFORNIA. 5 



HIBERNATION. 



Partly grown larvae brought into the laboratory October 10, 1913, 

 spent the winter in that stage, pupated in the early spring, and 

 emerged as adults April 16, 1914. Larvse were observed at various 

 times during the winter in dried fruit and partly spun up in corners 

 and cracks of warehouses. Adults were not observed in warehouses 

 until April 15, when many were found to be emerging. In California 

 this insect appears to hibernate in the larval stage, pupate in the 

 early spring, and emerge as an adult about the middle of April. 



THE DRIED-FRUIT BEETLE. 



The dried-fruit beetle (CarpopMlus hemipterus L.) is probably the 

 next in importance as a destructive dried-fruit insect. It is found in 

 large numbers in the figs before they drop from the trees and in bins 

 of figs and other dried fruits. The adults often frequent the packing 

 houses in large numbers, where they swarm over and deposit eggs on 

 the fruit which has been dipped and put out to cool. They breed 

 readily in the moisture of the dried fruits, but apparently can not live 

 in fruit that is moderately dry. 



The adult insect hibernates in stored fruit in the packing houses, 

 in figs, and probably in other fruits which are not gathered from 

 the field at the time of harvest. Plate II, figure 1, shows figs which 

 were allowed to remain on the trees during the winter, and which were 

 later found to be highly infested with CarpopMlus hemipterus. 



On September 3, 1911, 5 pounds of dried figs, taken at random from 

 each of seven different dryers in the vicinity of Fresno, Cal., were 

 placed in boxes made insect-proof by plugging all cracks with cotton 

 and wrapping carefully in stout paper. When examined January 13, 

 1912, the fruit in three of the seven boxes was badly infested. The 

 results of this experiment prove that many figs are infested before 

 they are shipped to the packing house and that the drying sheds are 

 one of the sources of infestation. These conclusions will apply equally 

 well to other fruits. The processing may kill the insects in the fruit 

 at the time of processing but will not protect them from infestation 

 while they are being dried or held in the drying sheds prior to shipping 

 to the packing houses. 



It has been found that infestation takes place in the field, in the 

 packing house, in the warehouse, and in the grocery store. 



PROCESSING DRIED FRUIT. 



Dried fruit from the bins of the packing house is usually quite dry 

 and not particularly attractive or appetizing in appearance. In order 

 to improve its texture so that it will pack well and be attractive to the 

 consumer, it is processed. In Table II will be found the formulas 

 for processing fruit that are in common use in California. 



