19 
Reports to the Board of A gnculture . 
to some extent for tlie rest of the year, and hibernate during the 
winter under the bark of trees, and amongst rubbish, etc., at the foot 
of hedgerows. 
It appears from observations made on the specimens sent from 
Cottenham that the beetles do not leave the dead blossoms loi 
some days. 
Much good may be done by collecting, as far as possible, all the 
dead blossoms beneath the trees (first seeing that all “ capped blossoms 
have fallen ; if not, shake the remainder off the trees) and binning 
them. At the same time spray the ground beneath the trees with 
strong soft soap and paraffin wash, adding double the amount of paiaffin 
usually employed. 
At present all we can do in this attack is to destroy the beetles 
and so prevent their increase. This can be done in three ways : (i) 
by that mentioned above ; (ii) by destruction of winter shelter by 
use of caustic alkali wash ; and (iii) by jarring the trees when the 
blossom appears in spring so as to shake off the weevils on to sheets 
spread beneath the trees, when they can be swept up and destroyed. 
Warm days should be chosen for this, preferably with a S.W. wind. 
This has been found to do considerable good where properly 
carried out. 
Stress should be laid on the destruction of fallen diseased blossom. 
A few days, or even hours, may be sufficient for the beetles to escape, 
and so give them every chance to continue their work next season. 
Strawberry Beetles. 
A correspondent of the Board sent an enquiry in September 
asking for information concerning beetles that had been very 
harmful amongst the strawberries in parts of Norfolk. The following 
report was sent in return : — 
Several species of ground beetles attack strawberries, including 
the following : Harpalus ruficornis, Fabr. ; Omccseus vulgaris, Linn. ; 
titer opus mandidus, Fabr. ; and Calathus cisteloides, Panzer. 
These beetles attack the berries at night, usually just when the 
fruit is ripening. The insects remain under the earth, straw, or 
grass between the rows during the day, making holes in the soil and 
having regular runs opening through the litter. Green 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 “ covered with a powdery deposit,” 
caused by the seeds eaten off the berries. 
