824 
in 10 to 12 days and the larvae begin 
feeding in the tender stems. After a few 
days they emerge and find a leaf bud 
which they enter and feed in conceal- 
ment. The larva passes through its three 
moults in three to seven weeks, pupates 
and emerges in about nine days there- 
after. 
The adult is less than one-quarter of an 
inch long and covered with short, dark 
brown hairs mixed with gray and black. 
They do great damage to the stems and 
leaves of the alfalfa. With a few ex- 
ceptions they do not reproduce until the 
following spring, overwintering in the 
crowns of the alfalfa and in trash about 
the fields. They spread mainly by flight, 
soon after emerging as adults, assisted by 
the winds. Also in freight cars, wagons, 
irrigating ditches, hay, etc. The state of 
California maintains a quarantine against 
both Idaho and Utah. 
Control 
Numerous methods have been tried for 
the control of the alfalfa weevil. The one 
that seems to be the most promising on a 
large scale is that of going over the field 
after each cutting with a spring-tooth 
harrow with a wire brush attached. This 
crushes a good many of the weevils and 
larvae and raises a dust which is dis- 
tasteful to them. It also forms a dust 
mulch helping to conserve moisture and 
stimulates the alfalfa to vigorous growth. 
The cost of this method is $2 to $5 per 
acre, according to Merrill. 
References 
Utah Experiment Station Bulletin 110. 
Bureau of Entomology Bulletin 112. 
California Commission of Horticulture, 
I, Nos. 1 and 10. 
Bean Trrrtps. See under Bean. 
Clover or Almond Mite 
Bryobia pratensis Garman 
General Appearance 
The young mites are red, becoming 
brown when fully developed. Though very 
much smaller than a pinhead this species 
is much larger than any of the common 
destructive mites in this state. The eggs 
are very minute, so small as to be scarce- 
ly visible to the naked eye; globular and 
red. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
Life History 
The eggs deposited in the fall hatch 
with the first warm spring weather and 
the mites at once begin to work. Their 
development is very rapid and reproduc- 
tion exceedingly great, so by summer 
there are often sufficient numbers to do 
great damage. Breeding and work con- 
tinue until fall, when the eggs are laid 
and operations suspended until these 
hatch in the spring. 
Food Plants 
This mite is an omnivorous feeder and 
may be found upon a great variety of 
plants. Peas, clover and alfalfa are se- 
verely attacked, while they also feed up- 
on grass, grains and buckwheat. Peach, 
apple, plum, apricot, prune, cherry, al- 
mond and quince trees are also among the 
food plants. 
Control 
For this pest Mr. W. H. Volck especi- 
ally recommends the following formula: 
Water, 100 gallons; flour paste, 4 gallons: 
lime-sulphur solution, 5 quarts: iron sul- 
phate, 2 pounds. The flour paste and lime 
sulphur are thoroughly mixed in the 
spray tank after which the iron sulphate 
is added and all thoroughly agitated. 
Natural Enemies 
The larvae of the minute black lady- 
bird beetles (Stethorus vagans Blackb. 
and Stethorus picipes Casey) and the 
green lacewing (Chrysopa calfornica 
Coq.) prey upon the clover mite but they 
do not appear to be important factors in 
keeping it down. 
BE. O. Hssic 
GRASSHOPPERS 
Valley Grasshopper 
Gdaleonotus enigma Scudd 
General Appearance 
One of the smaller species, the adults 
being about one-fourth of an inch long. 
The general color is rich amber with red- 
dish hue around the eyes. The dorsum 
and carinae of the thorax are dark. The 
tegmina are mottled with black and 
dusky spots. The antennae and first two 
pairs of legs are concolorous with the 
body, while the femora of the hind legs 
are richly marked with black and the 
