167 



THE STRAWBERRY WEEVIL. 



(Anthonomua aignatua Sa,j.) 

 By F. H, Chittenden. 



In the Annual Report of the Entomologist for 1885 (pp. 276-282) an ac- 

 count is given of this little strawberry pest which includes a summary 

 of its past history, a report of the injuries and habits of the insect as 

 observed that year on Staten Island, and a full description of the adult 

 and its varieties. Illustrations were also furnished of the imago enlarged 

 and of a group of the same feeding on the strawberry blossoms. These 

 figures are reproduced herewith. (Figs. 13 and 15.) 



Upon the appearance of this insect in the spring of 1892, near Wash- 

 ington, I was instructed by Dr. Eileyto make a careful investigation of 

 the life-history of the species and to i^repare a complete account of the 

 insect as a crop pest. This paper is the result of this investigation, in 

 the course of which I have had access to Dr. Riley's notes and those 

 of the Division, and have been assisted by Dr. Riley's advice. 



PAST HISTORY. 



This insect was first noticed as injurious to the Strawberry in 1871, 

 and an account of its injuries at Silver Hill, Md., was published by 

 Townend Glover, in the Monthly Report of this Department for No- 

 vember-December, 1871, and in the Annual Report of the same year. 

 In 1873 it was found by Prof. Riley injuring strawberries in tlie 

 vicinity of St. Louis, Mo. In 1883 Prof. A. J. Cook published a short 

 account of its depredations in Phoenix, Mich., and in 

 1888 mentions it as injurious in Pontiac, Mich. In 

 1884 and 1885 it was injurious on Staten Island. 

 During the year 1887 serious injuries were reported 

 from Cowansville, Province of Quebec, Canada, 

 mention being made of the fact by Mr. James 

 Fletcher in his report as Entomologist and Botanist 

 of the Experimental Farms of Canada for that year. 



No subsequent mention of injuries so far as can be 

 learned was made, and its life-history remained un- 

 known until the publication of an article by Mr. 

 Fletcher in his report for 1890 (pp. 173-175). In 

 February of the previous year Mr. W. A. Hale Avrote 

 Mr. Fletcher, giving the first true account of the 

 insect's breeding habits. He had for several years 

 suffered from its ravages, and had succeeded in f.^. i3._An«/.onomt«. %- 

 ascertaining that it attacked all staminate varieties, natus.- Spray of straw- 

 and that the egg is deposited in the unopened fiower- ^'^''^'^ f'^'^'^s beetles 



*^ *^ ^ '- at Avork — natural size 



buds in which the insect undergoes all its trans- (after Eiiey). 

 formations. Mr. Hale also stated that the insect was noticed at Hamil- 

 ton, Canada, in 1886. 



