THE CRANBERRY FRUIT-WORM. 29 



grown, leave the berry, and go into the pupa state. Dr. Brakeley, who 

 has raised the insect, and from whom I obtained a part of the above his- 

 tory, says that the larva pupates in tin- ground, and the moth emerges 

 next spring. The larvae appear to differ greatly in rapidity of growth, 



as in early August, when I examined many hundreds at Gape Cod, all 

 sizes were represented, from the mite but a line or two in length to the 

 nearly full-grown larva half an inch in leugth.and completely filling the 

 interior of the berry. The full-grown larva is half an inch or a little 

 more in length, of a bright green color, often with a reddish tinge, most 

 prominent on the dorsum. The head is narrower than the first segment, 

 and is of a paler, more yellowish color, except the mouth, which is 

 brown ; the segments are transversely wrinkled, and are clothed with a 

 few sparse and rather long hairs. As a whole, the insect is more com- 

 pactly built than either of the preceding, and is of the same thicknt )8fl 

 throughout. 



The damage done by this insect in the cranberry bogs of Cape Cod 

 this season is very large. In New Jersey scarcely a specimen could be 

 found, and nowhere was it plenty. On August 7 to 11, I visited the 

 Cape Cod bogs. Scarcely one but was infested by this insect, and many 

 were so badly attacked that not 20 per cent, of the berries were sound: 

 in one bog near Hyannis, which had escaped the fire-worm, the berries 

 on August 8 were 90 per cent, red, and apparently ready to gather : 

 closer examination developed a berry worm in almost every berry, and 

 there was every likelihood of the whole crop being eaten, as the worms 

 were scarcely half-grown. 



REMEDIES. 



An Ichneumon fly is said to prey on this worm, but I did not succeed in 

 breedingit, and it cannot apparently bedepended upon to keep the species 

 within limits. I could not find that any remedies against this insect 

 had been successfully used. Tobacco had been tried, but without suc- 

 cess, and the same result attended the use of Paris green. Flowing has 

 been tried, but where the water has been left on loug enough to destroy 

 the insects, it has also destroyed the berries. The fact is that it is a 

 matter of great difficulty, if not absolute impossibility, to reach this 

 insect in the larva state. The fact that it lives in the berry, and care- 

 fully closes up the place of entrance, excludes poisons which kill by 

 touch or by beiug eaten. because the larva never comes into contact with 

 them. Flowing is an incomplete remedy for the same reason. It is 

 possible for the larva to remain submerged for a week or more without 

 being in the least discommoded, and so long a submergence during 

 August or September would infallibly ruin the crop, although it might 

 thereby also destroy the insect. It is probable that at some portion of 

 its career this insect can be successfully combated, but as most of my 

 investigations this season were made in New Jersey, where this insecl 

 was not to be found, I was not able to ascertain its complete history, 

 and can therefore suggest no remedy. 



