182 



Br aeon anthonomi Aslim. A single specimen was found in its web 

 in a strawberry bud in the field June 3, from wMch. the imago issued 

 June 20. 



Catolaccus anthonomi Aslini. Two sj)ecimeus. male and female, were 

 reared from strawberry buds June S and 9. 



Catolaccus incertus Ashm. was nearly as abundant as Cali/ptus tibiato)\ 

 Adults issued June 7 to 12. 



All of these parasites were bred from buds gathered late in the sea- 

 son. A single example of Calyptus tihiator was obtained from a bud 

 taken in June. The two commoner siDecies breed indifferently in Straw- 

 berry and Blackberry, both ctdtivated and wild. All are primary par- 

 asites and normally solitary, only a single individual infesting the host 

 insect. 



Xo insects, birds, or other animals have been observed preying upon 

 Anthonomus in the field, but it is probable that a few species do so to 

 a limited extent. Only two species of pre'daceous insects were even 

 seen on infested i)lants. both occiu^ring on Wild Blackberry. These were 

 a pak of Fhi/mata icoJfii, a Heteropteron well known as an enemy to 

 Lepidoptera and to bees, and two examples of Cleridie. The former 

 species was i^robably in search of kirger game, but the Clerids, Clerus 

 rosmarus, might have been engaged in devouring the strawberry wee- 

 vils. This species is known to live upon other small beetles, and our 

 captures readily devoured the strawberry weevils in confinement. 



EE^IEDLES. 



A number of remedies have been suggested, a few have been experi- 

 mented with, but none, so far as I know, have been actually tested. 



Of insecticides, the arsenites are of doubtful value, and there is pos- 

 sible danger of poisoning the fruit. As already pointed out in Dr. 

 E'iley's article on this subject, the kerosene emulsion, or pyrethrum 

 dusted on the jDlants. would doubtless prove effective against the adult 

 insect while at work, and gas-lime, or saw-dust impregnated with crude 

 carbohc acid, or some other repellant. might be tried. 



Xow that the life-history of the insect is known, a number of other 

 remedies suggest themselves. 



In the fli'st place, where staminate berries are extensively grown for 

 the market, all wild plants and old strawberry beds that might serve 

 as breeding places for this and other pests shoiild be buimed and cleaned 

 away. There can be little doubt that the species under consideration. 

 AntJionomus signatus. is derived from the Wild Blackberry, and unless 

 the strawberry beds are completely covered over as described later on, 

 all these wild bushes in the neighborhood of the strawberry beds 

 should be destroyed. 



Another remedy would be to collect the injured buds and place them 

 in a box or barrel covered with cloth or wire-netting with meshes just 

 large enough to permit the escape of the parasites, which are consid- 



