12 
THE GEAPE ROOT-WORM. 
insect known to entomologists. During the season of 1894 Professor 
Webster made a detailed and accurate study of the life history of the 
insect, described its immature stages, and made numerous field 
experiments to determine effective methods of control, which are 
referred to in another part of this bulletin.. 
In 1896 Prof. J. T. Stimson recorded injury caused by this insect 
in Arkansas. Dr. John B. Smith, in his Catalogue of Insects of 
New Jersey, 1900, reports its occurrence throughout that State. 
Dr. L. O. Howard reported it from Bloomington, 111., in 1901. In 
later years the insect appeared as a pest in the grape region of Penn- 
sylvania and New York, where from 1900 to 1906 it was the subject 
of detailed studies, treating both of its life history and remedial 
measures, by the late Prof. M. V. Slingerland, of Cornell University, 
Fig. 1.— Map showing distribution of the grape root-worm {Fidia viticida). (Original.) 
and by Dr. E. P. Felt, state entomologist of New York. The reports 
of the investigations by the former are embodied in the bulletins of 
the entomological division of Cornell University, and the publica- 
tions of the New York State Museum contain reports of those 
made by the latter; all publications of these two investigations are 
listed in the bibliography accompanying this bulletin. 
ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION. 
The grape root-worm has at present been recorded only from 
North America, and it is without doubt a native species, feeding 
originally on wild grapevines, as it still does to some extent. 
The insect is widely distributed in the Mississippi Valley and in 
the Eastern States. The map (fig. 1) shows the distribution as 
recorded at present. 
