ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



339 



currant-stalks in the form of minute, circular, flat scales, 

 about one-thirtieth of an inch in diameter. 



These lice may be removed by scraping the stems or 

 applying to them a strong alkaline wash. 



ATTAOKINa THE LEAVES. 



No. 205. — The Imported Currant-worm, 



Nematus ventricosus Klug. 



This is the larva of one of the saw-flies, and is perhaps 

 the most troublesome of all the insects the currant-grower 

 has to encounter. It^ is a 

 European insect, first noticed ^^^' ^^^• 



in America in 1858, and 

 within the comparatively 

 brief period which has since 

 elapsed it has spread over 

 a large portion of the conti- 

 nent. This insect usually 

 passes the winter in the 

 chrysalis condition, but occa- 

 sionally in the larval state. 



Very early in the spring 

 the flies appear. The two 

 sexes difl^er materially in ap- 

 pearance. In Fig. 352, a * 

 represents the male, and b the 

 female, both enlarged, the lines at the side indicating their 

 natural size. The male approaches the common house-fly 

 in size, but the body is scarcely so robust, and the wings, four 

 in number, are more glossy. Its body is black, with a few 

 dull-yellow spots above, the under side of the abdomen being 

 yellowish and the legs bright yellow ; the veins of the wings 



