Insects Injurioas to tlie Raspbcrri/. 



421 



stalks of the l)lu3Soms are occasionally eaten tliroiio-li hj a uiinute 

 auimal (Bi/linui.^ loiiienfosus), which I once saw prove fatal to a whole 

 crop, and of wliich the larva feeils upon tlie fniit itself." 



It is by no means infrequent for the greater part of the crop to 

 become infested and much ruined for market purp(jses. Some years 

 no crop appears at all, owing to the beetles destroying the blossoms. 

 This beetle is one of the most regular pests in this fruit, occurring 

 year after year unless remedies are adopted, and rmfortunately it has 

 a verv wide distribution in (4reat ISritain. It occurs practically all 

 over England, irrespective of soil. It has been particularly abundant 

 on the loams ami loamy clays of the London clay in Kent, and 

 I have seen it carrying laiin before it on chalk, red sandstone, 



IF. I-:>lriuleiJ. 

 FIG. -jI;!;. — »OI:KIXG UF THK IHSI'IJF.|;KV BEETLE {Untnnix l„iiii'iilii«iiK\. 



A, lavvii tiiitL'Hiiii' trait ; B. cure eaten liy ku'va ; C, hole made liy larva ; als', i). 



gault, and brick-earth. It has been incpiired about by fnut-groweis 

 and gardeners in Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, 

 Gloucestershire, ISedfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire, and 1 have seen it 

 working m Yorkshire and llnntiugdonshire to a serious extent. It 

 occurs abundantly in parts of Scotland, and 1 have idready recorded 

 it in raspberries in north Wales (1). 



In Europe it is recorded as destructive in France and Germany. 



The beetles and larva' are found also on the cultivated and 



