6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



quently seen in a vineyard still alive. The marvelous prolificacy 

 of the insect, as demonstrated by our studies, justifies the belief 

 that even a relatively small number are sufficient to threaten the 

 welfare -of a vineyard. 



The season of 1902 was unusually favorable to vine growth, 

 and the same is true of the past summer, a condition for which 

 the grower should be thankful, since it has enabled the vines 

 to withstand insect attacks more successfully. 



Area infested. Ripley appears to be the original center of 

 this insect's most dastructive work, though it has been found 

 generally present in small numbers in many vineyards where 

 little evidence of serious injury occurs. The pest very probably 

 made its way into the Chautauqua grape belt from Ohio; and 

 our investigations in 1908 show that it is present in greater or 

 less numbers from the state line as far east as Sheridan, if not 

 farther and from the lake shore to the top of the adjacent hills. 

 We have also found it in small numbers in Hudson river valley 

 vineyards at Highland and Milton. 



Signs of the insect's presence. The more destructive work of 

 this pest is somewhat difficult to detect, and is usually indicated 

 by a weakness in vines and a marked decrease in the amount of 

 new wood. The indications of the presence of the beetles are so 

 characteristic that there should be little trouble in locating them. 

 The peculiar chainlike eaten areas, represented in numbers on 

 plate 6, are very characteristic of the insect and differ so much 

 from the work of most other pests that no difficulty should be 

 experienced in identifying it. The beetles show a decided prefer- 

 ence for leafy vines, and the general appearance of some very 

 badly eaten ones is shown on plate 5. The feeding of the beetle 

 is usually the first visible indication of its presence and is not 

 accompanied at the outset by signs of material injury. As the 

 attack progresses and the work on the roots becomes more in- 

 jurious, the development of the fruit is severely checked and 

 the bunches may be less than half their normal size. The growth 

 of wood is also much reduced, and vines which are very badly 

 infested may die in midsummer. Cases were brought to the 

 writer's attention where plants which had grown over 6 feet of 

 wood the preceding summer, wilted in June and died. Infested 

 vines as a general thing become less thrifty, develop less and 



