Insects Injurious to the Apple. 116 



(2) Or III (rod, B. A. ' Handbook of Insects Injurious to Orchard and Bush 



Fruits,' p. 197 (1898). 



(3) Fletcher. J. Eeport of the Entomologist and Botanist, 1897, p. 200 (1900). 



Ann. Eep. Exp. Stations, (1907). 



(4) Forbes, S. A. Bull. 4. Office of the State Entomologist of Illinois, p. ir, 



(1890). 



BEETLES IN FRUIT BLOSSOM. 



Many inquiries have been received concerning the economy of 

 beetles found in the open apple and other fruit blossom.* 



The most important species sent have been the Pea and Bean 

 Weevil (Sitones lineata), the Mustard Blossom Beetle (Meligethes 

 miev.s) and the Flea Beetles {Phylloireta ncmorum and HnJtica 

 (ilcracca). 



Mr. Bickham of Ledbury sent Pea and Bean Weevils in April 

 1906, stating that they were very numerous in parts of Hereford- 

 shire, in the crowns of strawberry plants, and later they were noticed 

 in the blossom. Both at Mr. Bickham's and at Mr. Eiley's, Putley 

 Court, numbers coi;ld be found in the crowns of almost every straw- 

 berry plant. No damage has been noticed in the blossom or leaf of 

 strawberries, when they have been present, as they often are in the 

 early part of the year. It appears that they merely go there for 

 shelter. They have been sent from the same county and Kent from 

 apple blossom, but although occurring in numbers no damage could 

 be traced to them. 



From Herefordshire I also received inquiries about Jlfcligethes 

 in apple blossom. One correspondent wrote stating that they 

 occurred in thousands in his plantations. The beetles are described 

 as crawling right down to the base of the pistil and stamens. The 

 grower stated " that some of the pistils had been killed by frost some 

 days ago, so I cannot tell whether all the blossoms which show the 

 black pistil have been killed by the frost or by the beetles. So far 

 as I can see, by looking down into the blossoms without disturbing 

 them, the beetles appear to be merely feasting on the sweet liquid at 

 the base of the pistil. I noticed the beetles in another plantation in 

 the apple blossoms, but not to the same extent." 



A series of observations were- made at Wye concerning this 

 question, as these small beetles were also abundant in apple blossom 

 in that neighbourhood. The blossom of almost all varieties was 



&■ 



■^tD 



* Eeport on Economic Zoology for the year ending April 1st, 1907, p. 84. 

 F. V. Theobald, etc. 



I 2 



