STRAWRERRY CROWN GIRDLER AND OTHER INSECTS. 209 



throuqli tliese tliree square feet of infesterl soil is a question, 

 depending for its solution upon the capacity of the beetles. It 

 was not surprising to learn, one month later (July 28) that this 

 strawberry bed was more than half dead. 



Near Houlton on the place where the beetles were most annoy- 

 ing there was no strawberry bed, and a day was spent examining 

 the roots of meadow plants, July 6, 1905. Larvae and pupre of 

 the girdler were found at the roots of wild strawberry, Timothy 

 grass, June grass and white clover. Large potato fields were 

 close at hand, but no signs of the crown girdler were found 

 about potato vines which were dug up in various places in the 

 field. 



Feeding experiments zvith adult beetles. Several hundred 

 beetles taken near Houlton early in July were brought to the 

 laboratory for the purpose of testing the range of their food 

 plants. These were confined for three days at a time in bottles 

 containing perfect leaves. The following list records such 

 leaves (or flowers as indicated) as were found to be eaten to a 

 greater or less extent during this time : Apple, cauliflower, red 

 clover (blossom), red clover, woodbine, Tartarian honeysuckle, 

 turnip, radish, white clover (blossom), white clover, rose 

 (petal), oak, dandelion, lettuce, maple leaf, lawn grass, sorrel, 

 timothy grass, basswood, raspberry, mulberry, spirea, currant, 

 strawberry, rose, plantain, celery, mountain ash, Roman worm- 

 wood, rhubarb, bean, nasturtium, wolf weed, nightshade, box 

 elder, thistle, cottonwood, elm, geranium, flowering currant, 

 dahlia, syringa, peony, blackberry, fall dandelion, asparagus, 

 horse radish, pea, chickweed, wild cherry, gooseberry, birch, 

 iris, willow, " self heal." 



While it is probable that beetles placed in confinement would 

 eat some leaves which in the open they would avoid for other 

 food, still the foregoing test bears out the reputation of this 

 insect as a general feeder. , 



REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



Arsenate of lead. Two experiments were made with elm leaves 

 (a favorite diet of the girdler) dipped in arsenate of lead, mixed 

 at the rate of 4 pounds to 50 gallons of water. For the first, 42 

 well fed beetles were confined with a few poisoned leaves for 

 two days, when 18 were dead and 24 still alive. For the second 



