The Raspberry Beetle. 



83 



fruit is; also attacked, the skin being eaten away, the seeds 

 usually being left intact. There are, nevertheless, records of 

 the seeds also being eaten, the ground being described as being 

 covered with a powdery deposit, caused by the seeds eaten off 

 the berries. 



The most destructive species appears to be II. ruficornis,, 

 which is winged, and which evidently migrates in large 

 numbers. 



These beetles will feed on other substances, such as live 

 worms, meat (cooked and uncooked), &c. 



Treatment. 



The only successful plan is to sink small pudding basins in 

 the soil between the plants every few yards and baiting them 

 with lights and sugar water. The beetles swarm to this, and are 

 unable to crawl back up the sides of the basins. Similar good 

 results have been gained by using ordinary jam pots or glass 

 jars. 



Probably poisoned baits would act well, but trapping, as given 

 above, is a well-tried and most successful plan. 



The Raspberry Beetle. 



The Raspberry Beetle (By turns tomentosus) is one of the 

 regular raspberry pests, occurring in more or less abundance 

 every year in this country. Besides the raspberry, it also at- 

 tacks the cultivated and wild blackberries, and gardens may 

 often be invaded from the latter. The beetles generally attack 

 the opened blossoms as early as the middle of May, eating their 

 way right through them ; but if the blossom is backward they 

 may eat the unopened bud. When the fruit is ripening the 

 larvae attack it, living in the receptacle and sometimes crawling 

 over the fruit. The fruit attacked by these maggots is usually 

 deformed and stunted, and often shrivels up altogether. 



The beetle is dark brown in colour, with a dense golden- 

 brown pubescence, which may assume a dull greyish hue ; the 

 legs are reddish-yellow or reddish -brown. The beetles By 

 readily in bright weather. In length the mature beetle is 



G 2 



