12 



THE GEAPE ROOT-WORM. 



insect known to entomologists. During the season of 1894 Professor 

 Webster made a detailed and accurate study of the life history of the 

 insect, described its immature stages, and made numerous field 

 experiments to determine effective methods of control, which are 

 referred to in another part of this bulletin. 



In 1896 Prof. J. T. Stimson recorded injury caused by this insect 

 in Arkansas. Dr. John B. Smith, in his Catalogue of Insects of 

 New Jersey, 1900, reports its occurrence throughout that State. 

 Dr. L. O. Howard reported it from Bloomington, 111., in 1901. In 

 later years the insect appeared as a pest in the grape region of Penn- 

 sylvania and New York, where from 1900 to 1906 it was the subject 

 of detailed studies, treating both of its life history and remedial 

 measures, by the late Prof. M. V. Slingerland, of Cornell University, 



Fig. 1.— Map showing distribution of the grape root-worm {Fidia vilicida). (Original.) 



and by Dr. E. P. Felt, state entomologist of New York. The reports 

 of the investigations by the former are embodied in the bulletins of 

 the entomological division of Cornell University, and the publica- 

 tions of the New York State Museum contain reports of those 

 made by the latter; all publications of these two investigations are 

 listed in the bibliography accompanying this bulletin. 



ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION. 



The grape root-worm has at present been recorded only from 

 North America, and it is without doubt a native species, feeding 

 originally on wild grapevines, as it still does to some extent. 



The insect is widely distributed in the Mississippi Valley and in 

 the Eastern States. The map (fig. 1) shows the distribution as 

 recorded at present. 



