REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 1898 161 



and commented upon by Dr Fitch in 1854. It is only in later years, 

 however, that the maggot of another species of fly was detected injuring 

 the fruit of these plants in a very similar manner, and it is possible that 

 its work in earlier years was confounded with that of the gooseberry 

 midge. 



Operations in New York state. The work of this insect was first 

 brought to the notice of Dr Lintner by Mrs H. D. Graves, of Ausable 

 Forks, N. Y., in May 1890, when the trouble was so serious in her 

 locality that some neighbors destroyed their currant, bushes on account 

 of the numerous maggots infesting the fruit. Both the white and red 

 varieties were attacked. Again, in 1894, Mr J. G. Collett, of Camden, 

 N. Y., wrote that nearly all of his gooseberries fell off every year before 

 they were fully matured, owing to the presence of ' a small white worm 

 or maggot just under the skin.' This attack could be referred to no 

 other than the above-named species. With such a record in the two 

 places where this insect has established itself in this state, it bids fair to 

 be as serious an enemy to the currant and gooseberry as is the closely 

 related apple maggot, Trypeta pomonella^ to the apple. Its injuries in 

 other localities where it has been found are so great that it may well be 

 classed as a dangerous insect pest. 



Distribution. This insect has been recorded from but a few widely 

 separated localities, and is most probably a native form. It was origi- 

 nally described from Maine or Canada. Prof. Gillette found it abundant 

 in Colorado; it was sent to the U. S. Department of agriculture from 

 West Ferndale, Wash.; it has been reported recently as abundant in 

 that state and Dr Fletcher has long known of injuries to black cur- 

 rants in British Columbia by what is most probably this insect. In New 

 York state it has been very abundant in two localities distant from each 

 other and may be more generally distributed throughout the state than 

 is supposed. 



Life history. The following account of the life history and habits of 

 this fly is a resume of the detailed paper on it by Prof. Harvey (see cita- 

 tion), which should be consulted for farther information. The flies 

 were first observed by him in nature about June i, though punctures 

 on the fruit at that time indicated an earlier appearance. There is but one 

 generation annually. The imagoes were most abundant June 9-15, 

 all having disappeared by the 25th. The eggs are deposited singly, the 

 female requiring about five minutes for the insertion of each just beneath 

 the skin of the fruit, where they may easily be seen a little to one side of 



